Hey there, stranger. Did you miss me? You’re probably wondering where the hell I’ve been the last few days. Trust me, so am I. For the sake of full transparency, allow me to divulge to the bet of my ability. Yours truly is, as the kids say, “going through it”. This latest existential crisis hit so hard that I took an impromptu trip to the rock n’ roll capital of the world (per Ian Hunter), Cleveland, to catch AC/DC on the last stop of their U.S. tour. Totally worth it, I should add. This, coupled with ongoing personal issues, caused me to briefly take a step back from this here baby of mine. But fear not, loyal reader: I’m back with a vengeance, and two new album reviews just for you!
The first album we’re tackling this sunny Tuesday afternoon comes from a band of unique circumstance, in that they are an offshoot of an offshoot. Upon the 1996 demise of death metal legends Asphyx, guitarist Eric Daniels and drummer Bob Bagchus reconvened as Soulburn. It was a short lived affair, splintering almost as quickly as they came together in 1998. Fast forward to 2014 and Daniels rebooted Soulburn with a new lineup. Members of this aforementioned lineup then went onto form their own band in 2016, Graceless, all the while concurrently serving in Soulburn. You follow?
Taking this into consideration, it should come as no surprise that Graceless specialize in the same kind of lumbering midtempo death/doom (with an emphasis on the “death” side) that their parent bands are synonymous with. Their latest album, Icons of Ruin, fits comfortably in this niche, at times channeling other legends of yore like Bolt Thrower and Cianide. There’s no dizzying technicality or pretentious horseshit to be found here, only meat and potatoes death, ’90s style, with an emphasis on killer hooks and straightforward riffing. The first half of the album really emphasizes this no-nonsense approach, storming out of the gate with the blistering violence of “God Shines in the Absence” and slamming skullduggery of “Sanctified Slaughter”, while “Night of the Slain” has me questioning if I’ve truly grown a soft spot for death ‘n’ roll.
When Graceless hone in on the “doom” side of their death/doom ethos, the result is something resembling the earliest days of the Peaceville three, specifically Lost Paradise era Paradise Lost on cuts like “Lash Me to My Painful Death”, “Hardening of the Heart”, and “Beneath Starless Skies”. Think atmospheric old school death with a somber twist, yet without sacrificing the heft of the riff. And even though these gloom and doom forays may come off as a tad too depressing even for this heartless bastard, they’re countered by hard-nosed ragers like “Ungodliness” and “Rise of the Blackest Sun”, before being capped off by the d-beat ridden “Resurrection of the Graceless”. Part of me wishes there were more moments on here as filthy as this finisher, but I guess it’s this singularity that makes it all the more compelling.
Even though Graceless’ formula becomes clear as day come the third or fourth song of this platter, it doesn’t make Icons of Ruin any less convincing. There’s something about this album, simplicity and all, that really hits the spot. Perhaps it’s because of the state of mind I’m currently in, one that matches the intensity of the music itself. Whatever the case may be, I’m digging it a lot, and those who like their death metal heavy and old school (as it should be, dammit) will as well. It’s all guts, no grace!
7 out of 10
Label: Listenable Records
Genre: Death/Doom Metal
For fans of: Asphyx, Bolt Thrower, Hail of Bullets
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