Embedded Files
GRAVERIPPER “From Welkin To Tundra”
GRAVERIPPER “From Welkin To Tundra”
By Dr. Abner Mality
Back from Hell (or Indiana) to torch your soul is GRAVERIPPER and if anything, they are more spiteful than ever, spitting riffs from guitars like bullets from an AR-15. This is one of America’s most potent thrash bands, along with ENFORCED and HIGH COMMAND.
The production is clearer and sharper but that doesn’t make a damn bit of difference as far as the speed and darkness of GRAVERIPPER is concerned. I would say the black metal content is increased this time around, with more wintry tremolo hooks injected into the thrashy mayhem, “New Gods, New Masters” and “Death’s Cold Embrace” are two outstanding examples of blackened thrash. I could swear I’ve heard the general attack of “Hexenhammer” from some elder band, but danged if I can figure out who. It might be from those bands GRAVERIPPER owes the most to...GOATWHORE, SKELETONWITCH and even NECROPHOBIC. They take the sound of those bands, cook it down and distill it into a pure form.
Album ender “Burning Barren Plains” is balls-out thrash with no remorse, especially when it comes to Corey Parks’ blizzardy vocal snarls. “And Now It’s Dark” has a great bounce and groove to it without sacrificing necessary ugliness and “Bullet Laden Crown” is the album epic coming in at almost four and a half minutes of freezing fire.
Hop on board this train. Like “Snowpiercer”, it can’t be stopped as it blasts through a frozen tundra…
Report abuse