March 2020: Top Picks - Graceless, Video Nasties, Chaplain

We're already at the end of March. Seems like we're in a very different world to the one where I last wrote one of these. I'm not going to bother doing a social commentary like I did for the last couple of months. What can I say that everyone else hasn't been saying? I hope everyone's staying safe and sane out there. 

 Still, even if every gig and festival going is hit with cancellations, there's still incredible music coming out. I've picked out a few of my favourites from the last four weeks.
Graceless - Where Vultures Know Your Name (death/doom metal) - Raw Skull Recordz

 My mate told me about this album only a few days ago, but it's absolutely awesome. Graceless come from Leiden, the Netherlands, playing infectiously old-school death doom. I've noticed a bit of a resurgence in the genre lately, and it's really great to be able to hear everything we love about it with modern production. Graceless do the job extremely well, with all the evil harmonies that leave you gagging for more, beneath a vocalist that could have had vocal lessons from the big red horned dude below. 'Retaliation of the Wicked' is probably my favourite so far. The album is just brutal throughout, and even when they slow the tempo down to glacial levels, the atmosphere stays as chilling and foreboding as it always has been.


Video Nasties - Dominion (black n' roll) - APF Records

I'm not sure 'black n' roll' really does Video Nasties justice. I just lifted that from their Facebook page, but there's so many different influences woven into one album here, from punk to doom to sludge to death metal to to groove to god knows what. It sounds like a lot, but it's still a highly cohesive album, sounding like one band. Anyway. Dominion is pure filth. If this album doesn't get your head banging with a big fat grin on your face, I'm not entirely sure what will. Unashamedly showing off their love of horror music with some scary samples mixed in with the meaty riffs, Dominion is the sound of metalheads who actually know how to have fun and enjoy themselves. All within a haunting soundtrack, of course. This album rules.


Chaplain - A Disgusting Idea of Humanity (death metal) - unsigned

I've been a big fan of Chaplain since seeing them live, and had to give them a shoutout here. The new EP is brilliant. Each song stands out as its own, with memorable hooks and choruses throughout. Chaplain have a unique take on death metal, with influences from doom and the modern groove/metalcore side. It's refreshing to hear them do their own thing, especially with so many bands sounding the same as each other these days. Chaplain aren't one of these, though. They keep it simple and catchy, with riffs that keep the listener headbanging away. This EP is made for big crowds; you can hear how audiences will join in and reciprocate the band's energy back onto them. Great work.


MN

Comments

  1. Unknown3 April 2020 at 00:46

    Thank you so much for the lovely review :) we cant wait too return to the stage

    ReplyDelete

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