Release Date: 2006 Record Label: Time Before Time Records Track list: Band Website: Gravewurm |
Gravewurm - From Conflict To Conquest (tracks from split with Suicidal Winds)
Yeah, I dig this! To be absolutely earnest, I was expecting more of the same 'Witching Metal'/'In The Sign Of Evil' Sodom by way of Hellhammer worship from the fine fellows, but they really have surprised this reviewer by pulling out the stops and thrusting their pronounced first wave black/death metal influences through a despondent, Nordic-but-not-quite black metal grinder, ultimately striking a deceptively delicate compromise between the more introspective passages on 'Panzerfaust', 'Aske' and, of course, the requisite Hellhammer-isms, though the nods to Tom G Warrior have been mediated through a Darkthrone/Burzum filter, with a pinch of 'Under The Sign Of The Black Mark' swing thrown in for good measure. The boys are clearly getting a firmer hold of songwriting, and the dynamism/overall COMPLETENESS of the songs reflect a maturity and confidence that the band have somewhat struggled to consolidate since the marvelously raw 'Ancient Storms Of War'. While not altogether focused- some tracks lean further on the second wave black metal spectrum than the more single-minded, atavistic, straight-ahead Hellhammer worship of olden Gravewürm, the material on offer is at least consistently fulfilling as far as execution and construction goes. Your mileage as far as the more primal, death metal-oriented material will of course vary, but being an obvious fanatic of this stuff, my dedication to Gravewürm's trade of choice means that I will always be a sucker for the unpretentious, flesh-chomping black thrash that the band peddle. I will be the first to admit that amongst far more original propositions, the band don't have a whole lot of enduring appeal, but the more individual numbers on this offering suggest that they are undergoing a drastic evolution that could see the band asserting a developing identity. Now, that identity isn't entirely unique in itself, after all, every band from Horned Almighty to Urgehal to Cult Of Daath has trodden the well-worn path of post- Panzerfaust and post-“War” rockingness, but there is certainly enough promise contained here to suggest that Gravewürm offer a somewhat rawer alternative to these bands. Again, I take slight issue with the somewhat monochromatic vocals, and the production is still a little flimsy, but these tracks very much showcase the next logical step in an evolution first suggested by the strong 'Under The Banner Of War', itself a remarkable improvement over the records that preceded it. Again, if you consider yourself an admirer of the sonic debauchery peddled by, say, Nunslaughter, Demonthor or Crucifier, you will find much here to appreciate, though there is a definite doom n'gloom edge to this material that fans of 'Panzerfaust', 'Ravishing Grimness' and Japan's Gallhammer will find equally enthralling. Look out for this one.
July 16th, 2006 |
