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Grave present what I’ll call “the AC/DC problem”: what does one do with bands whose records essentially all sound the same? Will just one suffice? Or can one derive more benefit from consuming more of the same? Now, I am probably being unfair to AC/DC. I personally don’t think that their albums are identical. Their stand-out tunes certainly stand out, though their filler tunes sure are filler.
Likewise, Grave albums aren’t really all alike. Some are slower, some are faster, some sound better than others. Yet they all reduce to the same thing: old-school Swedish death metal. That Sunlight Studios sound. Those basic but nasty riffs. Not much technicality. Lots of good old-fashioned urrrgh. Dominion VIII (Regain, 2008) – the band’s eighth studio full-length (natch) – is indeed more of the same. The grooves are still headbangable. The riffs are still catchy. Ola Lindgren still sounds like he could use a glass of water.
The only differences from before are that the production is surprisingly murky for 2008, and that the riffs are somehow not exactly the same as the hundreds that preceded them. Perhaps these minute variations are what keep fans coming back. I don’t buy into the “if you like X’s previous records/X’s colleagues Y and Z/X’s general genre, then you should buy this” argument. Chances are, X’s previous records (and those of Y and Z) are better. In this case, You’ll Never See… or Soulless are probably all the Grave you’ll never need.
Still, I like this, and all the way through. Does this mean that someone could sell me the same plot of land multiple times? Or does it just mean that I’m a metal fan?
It’s an interesting topic. On one hand HM (or metal if you prefer) have an interest in the metal scene by large and metal history and as such listen to a lot of new records just to see what’s up. That’s how we developed critical sensibility about this type of music, so we cannot diss it. Couple this with that most metal listeners are collectors, and it’s hard to part with the mp3s of the new Grave record that isn’t really essential.
On the other hand, buying ‘more of the same’ is very un-metal since this sort of music (I posit) is about the absolute essential, the material that makes you feel and think a lot. Wasting time with inferior variations just because they feel familiar and safe is not the best idea.
Metal fans do this extensively. I believe it’s consumerism and as such it should be examined. Problem is whenever you try to be caustic about it you get a knee-jerk “HEY, I listen to as much music as I want, if I want more Grave then what’s the problem?” all indignant and ready to defend their right to gulp down huge quantities of near-nothing. People aren’t very comfortable with the lurking fear behind their music-buying or downloading routine: it cheapens both the effect of the music and its range, since you’re not listening to great metal you tend to forget what great metal can do and is supposed to do. Obviously this is a routine that is extremely lucrative for any industry and they will feed it along in any way they can.
It’s the IKEA Metal issue. “There’s also this if you’re interested. There’s also that. Buy buy buy”
The solution is of course, death to mediocrity (in Heavy Metal). To talk only about the music that is essential to us. It might not be 3000 records, but just 30. I’d rather read the pieces on these 30 records than pieces on all the music the reviewer has come to possess.
Dominion VIII is the best Grave record since Back From The Grave. It seems like big career changes (reuniting, switching labels from Century Media to Regain) cause them to step up their game somewhat.
As far as AC/DC are concerned, they only have two songs: the good one, and the one Brian Johnson sings.