Artist: The Grotesquery
Title: Tales of the Coffin Born
Type: Album
Label: Cyclone Empire Records

For the second time this month, Rogga Johansson (guitars – Paganizer/Ribspreader etc..) and Kam Lee (Vocals – Massacre/Denial Fiend) are together writing material in their death metal elite headquarters and terrorizing my stereo. This time, the lyrical concept is the workings of H.P. Lovecraft (Macabre Tales) and Edgar Allen Poe. Lovers of such novels will most likely enjoy the concept even if they are not total death metal fans to be fair, but as death metal fans you better like Massacre, Bolt Thrower and a touch of old European and Florida death metal in general, no triggers or undecipherable squeals, proper death metal as it should be.

When musicians of a calibre like here are involved in making music you just know, once again, it will be well arranged and presented. This one slows down much more than their Bone Gnawer project and gives the listener a much more varied old death metal experience. There are a few off-the-wall moments and some interesting ideas floating around; I especially find the opener ‘Coffin Birth’ quite a belting tune. Bolt Thrower to the max in places (especially on ‘Morbid Child’), whilst the kick drum never stays still, the overlaid narration is done to good effect and gives the whole tune a sense of terror or anticipation of things about to happen. ‘Sins of the Father’ slays all humanity, after you hear the admission of murder in the narrated speech for the intro. There a few loose harmonics then an almost blast beat in places, getting into more Napalm Death territory, certainly an old UK death metal sound for me, the arrangement flows effortlessly even when the time changes come in and more narration continues. It’s nice to have a break in some places actually and I feel this shows the quality of an experienced group of musicians that are not afraid to mix things up and give a track more life where needed instead of plodding along to the end as some bands do. I have to give a High amount of kudos to The Grotesquery for their imaginative arrangements that keep you on the edge wondering what will come next. It is not as predictable as other death metal releases, ok in places you get the pattern, but then some odd ball things come out. ‘Nightmares Made Flesh’ is a head wind milling masterpiece, slow and groovy in places and bouncy as hell. Guttural Kam Lee screams and howls belt out some promising attacks on the mind as depicted in ‘Sepulcher Macabre’.

Tales of Horror, Ghost Stories, Classic 90’s Death Metal, this is a great album and well worth picking up. Hell, it’s even stirred my interest in HP Lovecaft’s writings, something I never thought would happen. This is classic Death metal, with a touch of magic lyrically and arrangements that show talented musicians at the top of their game. Hopefully with this release the world will see the light!

http://www.myspace.com/thegrotesquery
http://www.myspace.com/cycloneempire

Paul Maddison

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