The Pitch: Captivating melodic black metal from Germany's Grabunhold via Iron Bonehead. FFO: Taake, Murg, Mgla
What I Like: I'm a sucker for this style of black metal. Something about how echoy-y 80's style production unites with epic melodies and raspy vocals is music to my ears. Following in the footsteps of bands like Taake, Grabunhold combine the grim, cold aesthetic of Scandinavian 2nd wave with powerful and often ancient-sounding riffs. What follows is a simple, yet glorious, little EP that is quite captivating. And while the reverb-ridden vocals are strong in their own rite, it's very much the guitars that are responsible for the album's more evocative and entrancing nature.
Critiques: "Hexentanz" is comparatively kind of dull, and it would have been nice to have a proper forth track instead of an interlude, but otherwise I love everything about this.
The Verdict: Unter dem Banner der Toten is a stunning, albeit brief experience that reminds us that even in the early days, black metal wasn't all gloom and doom. Grabunhold are much more Dark Medieval Times than De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas. I'll look forward to a full length release when the time is right.
Flight's Fav's: Gespenster, Grabunholde
- Review by FlightOfIcarus
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