Sand Dementia
Truly
awesome is how the Spaniards left the impenetrable depths of the sea and peregrinated
to the grim desert. Thus the third Graveyard’s strike became a fact and so
long-awaited album saw the shining light of the sun. And well, my great
experience with this band has been lasting since the first spins of their debut
from 2009, then they stroke my senses with even better “The Sea Grave” bringing
a real water madness from R’lyeh itself. It didn’t lose its filthy, obscure yet
breath-taking charm and these tunes visit me time and again. So, did I have any
expectations concerning the next release? You know, the magic of the third
album. No, I was just curious of the things to be, however I was sure that
Graveyard wouldn’t follow wrong way. The first impression was favourable one, I
mean really good front cover, but in the case of the band, it hasn’t been done
at haphazard. And when first shamanic-like “Almulk Biallawn Al'Asfar” ends
after ninety seconds, a real monument called “With Fear and Thirst” enters the
stage and clenches me without any hesitation. And you know what? This song is
great example I worship Graveyard for: crushing riffs, frantic speed-ups,
slow-downs and captivating parts of catchy melodies, especially this one that
ends it. What a start! With the shining light by my side, I head for Irem and
its monumental buildings, and full of delight and bewilderedness I kneel down
before the treasure of Rub' al Khali, before the mighty columns rising from the
all-embracing sand kingdom. Yes, the song number six is something different in
band’s career. In spite of some fast fragments, slow hypnotizing yet majestic pace
is the key (to this forgotten city…), especially in the second part supported
by keyboards and clean vocal lines…
Well, the
most accurate will be every track is pretty much exactly what I would dream
about and wish for. There’s nothing wrong with production side, again it has
been mixed and engineered by Javi himself, maybe now it is a bit clearer as
compared to the predecessor. Generally speaking, the newest offer is more atmospherical,
by courageous using of keyboards, ominous and terrific effects, on the other
hand, bouzuki intensifies oriental-like interesting impression and the whole
has been divided into seven short introductions with mentioned intro and outro,
definitely not being artificial time elongation of the album. Somewhere on
band’s site there is a note that doesn’t leave any understatements: devoted to
the ancient metal of death and I have no even a small single argument to
disprove it. The third album is still deeply rooted in such a genre, not only
suckling from the Swedish 80/90s scene. The perfect mix of well-known
influences sewn by their own vision results a simple yet incredibly addictive
music making no track passes without a proper deathly impact. The musicians
juggle the tempos serving only one track with slow pace one-dimensionality.
Just like on their previous full-lengths placed on the end, it became a tribute
to doom metal, in the case of this song “Son of the Aeon / Sun of the Daemon” an
Edling thankful composition. And believe me, this is amazing! Not only because
of crushing guitar parts and demon-like vocals, but the second part that brings
another even fairy musical level. Then it turns into ending short outro leaving
me speechless amongst the sea of sinister sands…
Yes, we had
soil (first album), water (the second) and sand now, three elements of the
Earth, yet it’s hard for me to indicate whether “…for Thine is the Darkness” is
the best Graveyard work so far. Using maths and numbers, I rate it same as the
“The Sea Grave”, not because there’s no any sign of progress, but both are just
equally fantastic and splendid albums. The third seems to be braver a bit with
its slower atmospherical fragments and multitude of vocal forms (mentioned
earlier Irem’s praising song, “Hidden Amidst the Stars” or great performance of
Fiar in “The Womb of the Desert”), not only throaty Julkarn’s devastation. I
can do nothing but to praise this unmerciful riffs machine, classic or oriental
leads or rhythm section which has very audible and important trace on the
record. In short, these 43 minutes blows my mind out once again, proving
exuberance of death metal form is still inexhaustible. That means they never
cease to amaze me and I have another great songs to listen to for evermore. Another
great songs as a guide to the middle of the desert, to its unexplored secrets,
to her womb. It’s time to close my eyes and plunge into the sand dimension,
again I stand before Irem majesty, completely vulnerable…
98/100
-Tlacaxipehualiztli
(written in June/July, 2016)
Awesome album! Good Review also!
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