The Pitch: The first LP from Icelandic hardcore crew Great Grief, with lyrics about mental health, identity, the vices of touring, and dealing with shady record labels. Presented via No Sleep Records. FFO: Old Wounds, later Poison The Well, Letlive
What I Like: Great Grief combine the aggression and intensity of Scandinavian hardcore groups like Grieved and Eglise with the mournful post-hardcore undertones of Touche Amore and mewithoutyou. Some will be turned off by the radio friendly catchiness of it all, but if that doesn't bother you there's plenty to enjoy here. I'm sorry to keep name-dropping, but listening to Love, Lust and Greed for me was a constant game of comparisons. "Escaping Reykjavík" had me reflecting on later Poison The Well with its moody crooning; the band seeming to double down in this with the piano-driven "Inhale The Smoke." The latter track could have easily found its way onto The Tropic Rot. Other riffs and vocals are reminiscent of Dillinger Escape Plan's more streamlined, alternative moments. "God Sent" in particular has some heavy "Farewell, Mona Lisa" vibes.
Critiques: The album as a whole doesn't quite come together for me. While I have much love for the bands this album reminds me of, it also had me thinking about how those bands often did it better. It's a nice collection of above-average, alternative-infused post-hardcore, but I'm not feeling much gravitational pull to go back for more.
The Verdict: All said and done, Love, Lust and Greed is an enjoyable listen that pulls on some admirable influences. I just wish that the end result amounted to something that felt greater than the sum of its parts. I like it, but I don't love it. Even so, it turned my head enough to want to share it with you, and I think that there is a willing audience out there who is going to really dig it.
Flight's Fav's: Fluoxetine: Burden Me, Escaping Reykjavík, Ivory (Lie)
- Review by FlightOfIcarus
SUBSCRIBE to our Trench Talk Podcast on iTunes, Castbox, YouTube, and BitChute. You can also like and follow us on the social media of your choice with Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and support us on Patreon.