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Graveflower - Returning To The Primary Source review



Reviewer:
7.1

2 users:
7
Band: Graveflower
Album: Returning To The Primary Source
Release date: 2012


01. White Noise
02. My Turn
03. Rain In Inferno
04. Just A Moment
05. The Falling Leaves
06. Autumn Within
07. Rain Without End

Question - What do you bring bedside to your "Rapidly Expiring Better Half?"

Answer - A Graveflower, of course.

Returning To The Primary Source is a fitting name for this album, as the band seems to be playing sonic homage to their primary source of influence, My Dying Bride? and I bet that first line makes more sense now.

On one hand, aping your influences might make a band completely superfluous, as it's all been done before. On the other, if you do it well enough, well, at least your tunes can be almost as enjoyable as your primary influence. Or perhaps may even be more enjoyable than anything said influence has released in a decade.

Graveflower showcase traits one would expect - slow, drawn out melodies with clean vox played against intense riffs with death-doom growls. The pace occasionally picks up to faster than the 82 year old who lives a few doors away and drives down the street in a 1978 Pacer (feel free to substitute Pacer with Zhiguli, Trabant, or whatever piece of shit on wheels your country put out 35 years ago). At times they even toss some prog in their death-doom homage, making for some interesting moments.

So while their homage/worship/sonic stalking of My Dying Bride is blatantly obvious to the point where after repeated listens I am still convinced "My Turn" IS an MDB track that somehow wandered on to this album, I cannot say I dislike the tunes. In fact, I find myself enjoying the release, even after listening to it two dozen times trying to formulate My Dying Review.

So while they don't get cred for originality, at least they get points for being mighty swell at aping the best of their idols. A talented lot, perhaps their next effort will see them simply Turn Loose The Doom, after taking off from My Dying Launchpad.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 8
Songwriting: 7
Originality: 5
Production: 8





Written on 06.07.2012 by BitterCOld has been officially reviewing albums for MetalStorm since 2009.


Comments

Comments: 7   Visited by: 83 users
06.07.2012 - 22:02
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
D: don't dis the Pacer!


I haven't really heard a lot of MDB, but what I did hear, i didn't mind, so maybe I'll check this out.
----
14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
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07.07.2012 - 10:24
Merchant of Doom

I enjoyed it... yes, MDB clones, but well executed and sometimes even better...
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07.07.2012 - 11:31
Rating: 7
BitterCOld
The Ancient One
Written by Merchant of Doom on 07.07.2012 at 10:24

I enjoyed it... yes, MDB clones, but well executed and sometimes even better...


like i said in the review, if done well, can be done better than anything the primary influence has done in a decade.
----
get the fuck off my lawn.

Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
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08.07.2012 - 01:49
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by Boxcar Willy on 06.07.2012 at 22:02
I haven't really heard a lot of MDB, but what I did hear, i didn't mind, so maybe I'll check this out.

If anything you should investigate into MDB's catalog a little further first.

Think of it as choosing between the older, more attractive, confident sister as opposed to the uglier younger sister who spends every waking moment of her life trying to be even half as good as her older sister.
----
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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08.07.2012 - 04:26
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
Written by Troy Killjoy on 08.07.2012 at 01:49

Written by Boxcar Willy on 06.07.2012 at 22:02
I haven't really heard a lot of MDB, but what I did hear, i didn't mind, so maybe I'll check this out.

If anything you should investigate into MDB's catalog a little further first.

Think of it as choosing between the older, more attractive, confident sister as opposed to the uglier younger sister who spends every waking moment of her life trying to be even half as good as her older sister.

But the younger sister is more open due to her low self esteem
----
14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
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08.07.2012 - 12:18
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Written by Boxcar Willy on 08.07.2012 at 04:26

But the younger sister is more open due to her low self esteem


Her performance will probably be not as convincing and pleasurable. The older one grew under different circumstances so she had some nice character.

Leaving the metaphors aside: Everything from the beginning up to and including Songs Of Darkness, Words Of Light is awesome (well, except the experimental 34.788%... Complete, I actually like it but most people don't). Their best is easily their debut if you ask me... Old sister had elegance and sexuality (read: lyrics) she has always been known for but when she wanted to be rough, Oh man was she rough.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass
Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.
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10.07.2012 - 01:11
Rating: 7
BitterCOld
The Ancient One
Only it's not a case of either-or, nothing stopping you from trying both.
----
get the fuck off my lawn.

Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
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