GRAVE — Back From the Grave (review)

GRAVE — Back From the Grave album cover Album · 2002 · Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Back From the Grave" is the 5th full-length studio album by Swedish death metal act Grave. The album was released through Century Media Records in October 2002. It´s the band´s first release since "Hating Life" from 1996. Grave never officially disbanded but just had an 8 year break in activities, but "Back From the Grave" is still regarded as their comeback album. As far as comeback album titles go I can´t think of a more suiting one than "Back From the Grave". "Hating Life (1996)" saw Grave end on a bit of an odd groove metal oriented note, which was quite different from the old school Swedish death metal style, they originally played. At that point they were a two-piece consisting of Ola Lindgren (guitars, bass, vocals) and Jensa Paulsson (drums). Both are still part of the lineup on "Back From the Grave", which also features Fredrik Isaksson (bass) and Jonas Torndal (guitars). The latter was part of the original Grave lineup from 1989-1992, where he handled the bass duties.

The material on "Back From the Grave" are not devoid of brutal grooves (in fact the album is loaded with them) but the music is still pretty far from the sound on "Hating Life (1996)". This is instead old school Swedish death metal with a good portion of brutal groove. It doesn´t sound completely retro and those who only enjoyed "Into the Grave (1991)" and "You'll Never See (1992)", aren´t guarenteed listening pleasure here. To my ears the sound on "Back From the Grave" is closer to the sound on "Soulless (1994)", although in no way af copy of that sound. So basically a successful mariage between old school Swedish death metal and brutal groove metal.

The material on the 10 track, 43:13 minutes long album is consistent in both quality and style. Nothing is sub par or sticks out too much, although tracks like "Rise", "Dead Is Better", "Resurrection", "Thorn to Pieces", and "Bloodfed" are small highlights. The band are well playing and the growling vocals are intelligible and delivered with the right amount of aggression. "Back From the Grave" is also a very well produced album featuring a brutal heavy sound, so upon conclusion it´s a quality release and a great comeback album by the band. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

I, the Destroyer Black Metal
SVARTFJELL
Buy this album from MMA partners
A Sonication Technical Death Metal
OBSCURA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Hin helga kvöl Atmospheric Sludge Metal
SÓLSTAFIR
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Cycles of Suffering Black Metal
BURIAL OATH
Buy this album from MMA partners
The Suns of Perdition - Chapter IV: To Shadow Zion Black Metal
PANZERFAUST
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

DAWN OF REVENGE - Sanctuary [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 8 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Farewell [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 8 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Curtain of Death - [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 8 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - Vengeance [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 8 days ago
DAWN OF REVENGE - I Need You [official music video]
DAWN OF REVENGE
Bosh66· 8 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed