I typically have loved and probably will love everything and anything that Dark Descent Records releases. Their 2014 thus far has been stunning with the likes of Corpsessed, Lie In Ruins, Lvcifyre Thantifaxath, and a Binah EP. However, here is the third album from blackened death thrashers Gravehill, the second for Dark Descent, and as with the band’s last effort, All Roads Lead to Hell, I simply cannot get into these guys.

Obviously it’s a stylistic thing as I also didn’t dig Craven Idol, last years highly acclaimed black/thrash darlings (but then again I’m really digging the new Cultfinder EP), as even with a completely revamped guitar duo from last year’s effort and what appears to be a slightly upped death metal sound, im not feeling this at all.

Not that I hate it, I don’t. When the the songs come up randomly on shuffle on my Ipod I don’t skip them, I just kind of feel ambivalent about them. There’s gravelly raspy vocals, blackened, thrashy riffs, a few growls, a few death metal lopes, screechy solos and all sorts of old school denim, spikes and leather themes of hell, crucifixion and other classic metal tropes. All of it well put together and well played and rendered with a energy and production that’s all top notch, but none of it sticks.

After intro “Gates of Hell”, from opener “Death Curse”  to closer “The Ascending Fire” the likes of “Open their Throats”, “Black Blood Rising”  and “Crucified” (which I was really hoping was an Agnostic Front cover are the first few bars)  deliver either high octane thrashers or more controlled mid paced numbers, but you won’t remember any of them 10 seconds after the album is over.  Sorry guys. Maybe time to reform Morgion?

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