I’ve been impressed with new label Raw Skull Recordz and their early releases from Bullcreek and Graceless, but the debut full length from Sweden’s Gravestone is clearly the label’s best effort so far (at least until the new Just Before Dawn?) .
You know exactly what you are getting here as the band features Penki Samuelsson from Entrails on vocals/guitar and guitar production and the effort was co produced by Entrails‘ Jimmy Lundqvist . So yeah, the Entrails connection is strong, and so is the sound, though rooted in a little more sneering, punky, rocking, old school d beat Swedish form of death metal.
That said, the guitar tone here is utterly ridiculous, and an early contender for guitar tone of this young year. Just listen to the rancid mid range throes of opener “Tombthrasher” or third track “Unholy Mess”, fifth track “By The Knife” or devastating crunch of “Rotten Kill” at high volume and let me know if your teeth are still in your head. I’ll have your fuckin’ dentist on speed dial. They also have some traditional Stockholm, cantankerous gallops as heard on “In the Valley of Coffins”, “Fucking Your Corpse in Hell” or closer “Murderous Intentions”.
The vocals of Samuelsson are bit less deep and less gruff and more of a hoarse shout than a growl. adding to the more old school, thrashier , latter LG Petrov sneer (compounded on tracks like “Rest in Piss” and “Necromaniac” ), but make no mistake, the riffs and the guitar tone are so damn heavy and bruising you wont care.
Yes this could be an Entrails release, but the good news is ol’ Jimmy Lundqvist knows he has one of his proteges’ bands nipping at his heels and should push him to make Entrails better than ever.
