Grimegod
The Darkside (Pain In Another Dimension)
1998 Bestial Records
Review by Neil St.Laurent
Thanks to Bestial Records for the Cassette
With an absolutely beautiful insert you'd think that Grimegod are a
long-time, well-established band. But this group of three guys from Romania
are relatively unknown, and after listening to the music you'll be wondering
why you haven't heard of them before.
At one point you used to be able to determine quite a bit about a
band simply by listening to the first 30 seconds of the album.
Grimegod opens with an atmospheric piano melody (accompanied by
keyboards), but since so many bands, of varying quality, are doing this
now it is hard to determine at first introduction whether "The
Darkside" will be a highly produced atmospheric metal or just some
more black metal. Grimegod surprises you by unfolding an elaborate
system of melody, vocal expression, and atmosphere. While there is
no credit given to the keyboardist, the synth plays an integral role
in the sound portrayed on "The Darkside". At times the classically
influenced interludes (such as "Lost Sunrise") present such an
original and alluring sound, that you are almost left wishing the
entire album was like that.
Beyond the keyboards, which are an integral part, the music gets its
character from the delicate balancing of guitar fare. You often get
so used to hearing the guitars tuned down to bass levels that it is
quite a change to hear some higher pitch guitarwork. But it isn't
the level of the pitch that makes Grimegod succeed, it is merely an
interesting aspect in an array of many. The music is undeniably
slow, the lead merrily plays a fragile melody (one without too much
depth, quite simple) while the backing guitar usually provides some
deeper rhythm much akin to a standard metal driving force.
Grimegod is of those bands producing more complex music than many are
used to -- we can see this in bands such as Moonspell, which is
overproduced, and Kohllapse, which is underproduced. Grimegod has
achieved a balance of production work and raw playing ability. The
music is never about any single riff, chord, or even keyboard track,
the structure of the music is what defines it: various tracks layered
atop each other with seemless transitions and all bound together with
simple beats (which one could probably assume is a drum machine,
partially because again there is no credit for anybody doing drums).
While the music of "The Darkside" may at times seem to draw from
death metal or power metal, the resultant style is not particularily
of any given influence, we may at best be able to say the music is
influenced by classical and rock-n-roll. Although fairly undefinable (at
least presently) in terms of genres, "Grimegod" is likely to appeal to
doomdeath fans, particularily those of Anathema or Eve Of Mourning (without
mistake though, the music is totally independent of them and is original).
"The Darkside" is an amazing release, saying something negative about
it would really be inappropriate.
Grimegod are:
Tibor - Vocals
Tillo - Guitar
Hoit - Guitar
Contact:
Grimegod
P.O.Box 10/101
2900 Arad
Romania
Order cassette for $6 US (Postage Incl.) from:
Bestial Records
str. Caras nr. 8
1900 Timisoara (RO)
tel/fax (004) 056-163024
Email bestialr@banat.ro
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