Band:	Common Grave
Album:	Il Male Di Vivere
Style:	Black metal
Release date:	May 05, 2008
A review by:	Lucas

01. Il Male di Vivere
02. Memories
03. No Turning Back
04. In Silence They Fade
05. Falling From The Sky
06. Union Of Sorrows
07. For A Dead Person
08. The End Of All Things

Italy is not a really a country from which you'd expect loads of Black/Doom bands, but as with everything in life, there are always the few odd beans in the bag. Forgotten Tomb is of course the biggest example, but as of this year, Common Grave can officially join the ranks. These men formed under the moniker of "Common Grave" in 1999 already, but it took them almost ten years to release their début "Il Male Di Vivere".

That's no biggie though. "Il Male Di Vivere", or "The Evil Of Life", has the obvious advantage that it does not really sound like a début, but rather like something from a band that already has one or two releases under its belt. This may be due to the fact that it took them so long, or that three out of the five band members have released albums with other bands. But all guessing aside, let's get to the facts. "Il Male Di Vivere" draws huge influence from both old Forgotten Tomb and old Shining (the "II - Livets Ändhållplats" album, mainly). You'll now know what to expect: razor sharp, maliciously spiked riffs that wash over you and equally sharp and tormented shrieks that go through your every fibre. That being said, they manage to keep the balance throughout the album with the occasional instrumental and a good feeling for song writing. As for bass, it is fairly melodic though very much in the background.

My only problem with this album is that it is a little too long to keep my interest. With its sixty-five minutes divided over eight tracks I usually find myself listen to only six or seven tracks of the album. It should bother me that they have a lack of an own sound, but it doesn't really bother me at all throughout the album. Its riffs and atmosphere are dark enough to keep me satisfied. Plus, you should also take into account that this is only a début album. If you combine all of that, it adds up to an enjoyable album from a promising band.