Artist: Grimmstine
Title: Grimmstine
Type: Album
Label: Metal Heaven Records

UK vocal legend Steve Grimmett (Grim Reaper, Onslaught, Lionsheart) is back with another project to his previous efforts. This one actually saw a self release last year, now Metal Heaven have picked this up and it’s due out later in October. The formation of this “project” was something of an oddity involving Steve’s trip to North Dakota of all places and catching Steve Stine, an unknown musician playing is his band Dozer (not to be confused with the Swedish Dozer!). Eventual trading of ideas led to this project. I actually listened to this release before ploughing my way through biogs and history etc, so my immediate impression was that there were a few ballads, some near-metal experiences, but not what I was expecting; this deserved and warranted some further listening work.

‘911’ takes the US influence on Steve’s lyrics, it should have been 999 surely, but then everything is often tailored for the US market to understand, and being a Brit in an transatlantic project, I guess you can say voting was maybe outnumbered. But to the track itself, it’s a pretty cool piece of music, rousing itself into a near anthem. Steve’s voice is wonderfully powerful and controlled; you would not expect a man who has spent a good part of his life being one of the screamers (I am not meaning that in a bad way either!) in the music business to have so much depth and clarity. This is perfectly captured here on this release. There appears to be some effects used; there is a perfect crispness/echo/reverb about some of the vocal tracks, not that I am complaining. They come across strong as those shown on one of the many ballads ‘You’ll Never Know’. This track itself is ridden with a very commercial aspect but this is where you can see the experience coming through. The guitar tone is soulful and accompanies on of the better vocal performances I have heard from Steve Grimmett in a few albums. The solo is a perfectly written piece of music, a bit blitzing; again a sense of control comes out in the mix, I actually think this is a great track! If Steve Stine is really an unknown like it appears he is, then I think we have found ourselves a thoughtful musician who knows how to arrange a perfect melody and solo. This is a strong release that sounds like a band whom have been at it years as a collective with everything coming together effortlessly. ‘To Catch A Killer’ would suit our true metal lovers out there, and there are more traditional metal elements to the track too, at least this one you can headbang and go nuts too, even groove a touch through the verses. I am drawn in the chorus to Rainbow (Dio-era) and Dio (the band), in fact it’s quite close in regards the style, if it wasn’t for the fast drum beats in places.

A few people have commented about the length of this CD; well at least you are getting value for money, I have no doubts that after at least one listen, you will be playing this again and again. Ok, its not metal to the bone like I was expecting, but this is an interesting project and a quality release. It’s always a pleasure to welcome Steve Grimmett back to the mic stand, lets hope there are the proposed European (and that means the UK also people!) live dates later this year and into next year.

http://www.myspace.com/grimmstine
http://www.metalheaven.net

Paul Maddison

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