GRAYMALKIN — Revenge on Mankind (review)

GRAYMALKIN — Revenge on Mankind album cover EP · 2003 · Grindcore Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
Vim Fuego
Internationally, New Zealand doesn't have a great metal tradition. If you asked the average underground metal fan to name a band from New Zealand, most would be hard pressed to get past Demoniac or perhaps Dawn Of Azazel. That doesn't mean New Zealand doesn't have a metal scene. It means the scene has stayed underground and domestic, through no fault of its own.

The now defunct Graymalkin was one of a number of quality acts from the land of the long white cloud bubbling just under the surface. Graymalkin dealt in noisy blasts of chaotic death/grind, taking a few good riffs and crafting fun sounding, if short, songs out of them. There are no boring bridges to nowhere, no shit filled passages, and no unnecessary padding anywhere. It's short, sharp, and immediate, probably the key to the band’s fearsome live reputation.

For a first studio effort, the sound quality here is reasonably good. The snare drum pings a little, reminiscent of 'Reek Of Putrefaction' era Carcass. It is a little distracting at times, but is a production issue rather than a performance one, and whenever the kickdrums kick in, you don't notice the snare anyway. Gareth Craze’s dual guttural/raspy vocals fly off in different directions, and the riffing is sharp and precise most of the time. Craze has strong opinions on the state of the world, best venting his anger on “Parliament Of Whores”.

This was a band with the potential to go a long way. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen, but not through lack of ability or effort. To get anywhere internationally, bands from New Zealand have to go a long way, a very long way. Try digging this up for yourself and prepare to have your head caved in.
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