Gravesite – Horrifying Nightmares

Gravesite

Horrifying Nightmares

by Aidan MacNaughton at 30 September 2015, 6:56 PM

You want early 90’s death metal? Perhaps something reminiscent of DISMEMBER? DEATH or SLAYER, even? Perhaps a pinch of NAPALM DEATH? GRAVESITE is a pastiche of these bands – I have no doubt we can add more to the list. The essence though, is obviously old school late 80’s and early 90’s death metal. Death metal, amalgamative of its historical antecedents forming a death metal pastiche giving us the GRAVESITE verve we yearn for. I guess I am saying that the album can be thought of as a pummelling force of death metal brutality and darkly, creeping melodies.

Occasionally, you’ll run across some doomy riffs but there’s a lot of variation with the tempo. Sort of like a more hyper MORBID ANGEL. It seems to constantly change between fast and mid pace with an occasional slower part. The “Horrifying Nightmares” album is also not without its own original ideas. There are some solos but they are scarce. It’s chaotic force quivers the skin and fuels adrenaline. It sounds more modern.

“Horrifying Nightmares” makes a kind of comeback that is nothing new. And that is okay. It is nothing entirely original or unique. We get variety and a steady cadence and flow. The production is professional, clearly heard and slick, in spite of sounding rough and rusty. Okay, I used slick and rusty in the same sentence, appalling right? But I think with modern recording technologies providing “GRAVESITE” with that slick production sound while maintaining the dirty death metal sound is something that needs to be acknowledged. It engages in the old sound we liked, gives its take on death metal, proudly wearing the patches of its favourite sounds and influences; “Horrifying Nightmares” is a take it or leave it kind of deal.