Chants from Purgatory

Now Graceless are running high at the moment. I saw them live a few times, People seem to dig them, I admit to seeing and hearing mostly the postive in anything they do as well. And I listen to their stuff online, sometimes. Because for me they were never good/fun enough to actually buy.

Graceless is not bad. FAR from it actually. All is performed excellently. Songs are well thought through. And it's for good reasons many call them the melodic younger brother of Apshyx because in a way that is quite a good description. However when stating 'songs are well thought through' this also brings to life one of the main issues. It often feels formulaic.

The constant feeling I have with the 'Chants from Purgatory' album is they wrote way too many doomparts and melodies for only 8 songs. I am missing some dirty stomp here. Where is my 'Legions of the Fallen'? I know 75% of the band were in Xenomorph before Graceless so they can play fast as well.

It is a deliberate choice not to do so. I understand. A song like Xenomorph's 'Neon Black Stronghold' simply wouldn't fit the vibe of this album. I get it. Blastbeats especially would even be inappropriate but something like Bolt Thrower's 'Icon' would not have felt out of place here and given it more balls.

Don't get me wrong, I might even think 'Chants from Purgatory' is their most adult album sofar, especially their melodies have grown. But the lack of balance between slow and/or melodic material on one side and being a pounding death metal band on the other just feels more off this time. It's an inch short of not calling Graceless a death metal band anymore but a doom metal band which happens to have grunts. "But Graceless never were a fast band". I know! I just think this album really, really needed 2 or 3 songs to kick you in the face. To contrast such melodic beasts like the massive 'Gates of the Gallows'. As it is now it just wallows in its own depression a tad too much.

I mean 'The Gates of the Gallows' is a slow song (yeah, I think it's the best one on the album) but following it up with 'World in Ruins' makes the album turn into a meandering beast. It would have worked so much better if the midpaced pounder 'Blood of the Brave' had followed it up. The album wouldn't have lost so much more energy in the middle.

I like the prominent bassguitar on the middle section of the title track and the vocals remind me of a young Jan-Chris de Koeijer (Gorefest) somewhere between the False and Erase albums. The catchy verse riff on 'Gates of the Gallows' which would make the current Asphyx feel sorry for not writing it themselves. It's all ticking the 'old school' boxes.

But it never really drags me into their world. It never grabs me without letting go. As if you're looking at that awesome new strike fighter. But it never goes into action so it will always unfortunately remain stats on paper and esthetic pleasure.

Nothing is 'bad' about 'Chants from Purgatory'. A very adult and depressing death metalish album. This album has the same effect on me as their live shows. They're doing a fine job. You can pinpoint 'good moments', 'a cool melody' or 'that great riff right there' but that is as far as it gets.