Today classic Swedish death metal band Grave releases its comeback EP, Morbid Ascent, featuring four tracks of death metal and a cover of a Satyricon song. The US version of this release is pressed on mustard-yellow vinyl and can be purchased Century Media.
Known for their debut album Into the Grave from the early 1990s, Grave introduced the rudimentary form of the Swedish death metal sound to a new generation who appreciated the raw intensity of their primal music. Joining a small circle of European bands who were as poundingly violent as their American counterparts, Grave became a staple before fading away in the late 1990s.
Morbid Ascent shows the band resurrecting itself in the present era and attempting to adapt its classic sound and improved technical performance to the demands of a new time, following their 2012 release Endless Procession of Souls. If you’re in Europe, you can catch Grave live on October 5 at Zombie Fest II in Oostenede, Belgium.
Side 1:
1. Venial Sin
2. Morbid Ascent
Side 2:
1. Possessed (originally by SATYRICON)
2. Epos (Risen From The Tomb – Remix)
3. Reality Of Life
Tags: death metal, grave, Swedish Death Metal
So is it good? Is it up to the standards of the DLA? Is it better than the debut album? Why isn’t the debut album reviewed on the DLA? Is it because Grave´s debut wasn’t on par with the other early 90s Swedish death greats? Then why is it relevant to anybody nowdays? Can we expect a Wolfsheim review on this site?
Is it good? Nope. Is it better than their debut? Nope. Why isnt the debut reviewed? Not significant enough, not up to par. Why is it relevant nowadays? Cant just wallow in hatred, better to fix from the inside.
Some vital truth in that.
We haven’t heard it yet. I listened to too much of the first GRAVE to have the requisite distance to review it properly. I will try again soon.
Someone once said that if aliens were to come to planet earth and ask what death metal was, the individual would play Into the Grave for them. I agree with that. Simple (almost to simple), straight ahead, heavy death metal. The album is probably the best example of raw, primitive, super heavy death metal you could ever play for someone who is curious. However, Into the Grave was not without some faults. It was way to long and should have been narrowed down to 8-9 songs. The formula to concoct songs was never really varied. The drumming was very repititive and predicatable at some spots. Despite these minor flaws, the album has stood the test of time for me and I play that album consistently. As far as the recent stuff, it’s cut from a similair mold, but it begs the question; how much straight ahead with little variance death metal can one take? I can’t really stay focused on the newest stuff. So I put on Into the Grave….
Whether or not it is cut from a similar mold, it completely misses that little bit of musicality that made Into the grave enjoyable. I have always suspected these bands stop coming up with killer riffs and just start winging it at some point in their career hoping no one can tell the difference. Best part is, most cant!
Today’s kids can’t tell the differance. So they will eat this new Grave EP up. I wonder if these guys can’t really write any fresh and killer riffs anymore. But they want to continue to play in a metal band!