Chuck Schuldiner Project

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Gravehill-Death Curse


Now THIS is true death metal. Decrepit and vile, Gravehill is not the kind of band who are to be taken lightly. No, there is a certain primordial power behind this group showcasing a dedication to all that is evil that few bands can match. Gravehill have an utterly twisted sound, and nowhere is this shown better than on their new record Death Curse. With destructive riffs, speedy solos, and the occasional slowed down part Gravehill get you in the gut. Suffice to say Death Curse shows that when they claim to represent 'Death Metal Purity' they are not boasting but merely stating a fact.

The heart of darkness probably lies in the bands frontman, Mike Abominator who spews what the band bills as 'Verbal Abuse' throughout the record. The thing is that Mike is capable of calling forth the same sort of antediluvian evil that inspired so many of the progenitors of the genre. Mix this in with riffs that often go for a trudging and wonderfully brutal chug and you find the sort of band who truly grasp the spirit of death metal in a way few others do. With elements of groups like Autopsy, Possessed, and even a little Venom you get a sense for the pure destruction of the sound. At the same time, some of the riffs have a early Death vibe going on in the which adds a lot of flavor..

In closing, Death Curse is not death metal for the faint of heart. No, this is the sort of record that brings rage to the forefront of the sound, filled with a hellish madness that few modern bands can imitate. Gravehill pull back layers of modern pretentiousness and get back to the heart of the genre we know and love. These guys are seeking to develop on the craft of the elder masters in a more direct way. The end result is a record that could have come out in 1989, yet has a certain jaded evil that could only have been found in the bleak and hateful year of 2014.

Find them on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/gravehill

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