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.

First things first, Graceless from the Netherlands still play death metal. They did not change their style, not the smallest detail. I admit this is no surprise – and its consequence is that there are also not many surprises to find on “Chants from Purgatory”. But predictability is not bad per se and an experimental mentality is no value in itself. The four-piece does what it likes to do and so I score first plus points in terms of integrity. The production adds more positive aspects. Album number three sounds extremely heavy, tight and direct. Its guitar sound is not ridiculously low-tuned, but still brutal and voluminous. But to avoid misunderstandings, I have to mention that this sound does not exclude desperate, melancholic or even melodic tone sequences. Finally, everything is well-balanced, especially the double bass does not lack pressure.

As I sad before, the album does not hold many surprises, but the opener offers an unexpected turn. The main part of the slow-moving and smoothly flowing “Giants” forms already a worthy introduction to the full-length, but the song achieves some extra percent of quality after the break at 4:13 and the following, highly dynamic section. It marks a great contrast to the laboriously advancing first section. This strong opener has to fight with “Saint” for the crown, because this song is another perfect steamroller with highly appreciated double bass thunder. Graceless plough slowly and with maximum effort through the crusted earth. The minimalist melody lines arise out of nowhere and quickly crumble back to dust and ashes, but not without first leaving an impressive trail. Words and music go perfectly hand in hand and already the solo at the beginning reflects the fatalistic state of mind of the “Saint (of Treason)”.

The remaining tracks deliver safety first death metal. Do not get me wrong, safety first is always a good motto. Graceless avoid weak moments and stale parts. Additionally, they have a knack for compactness, the songs always come directly to the point and do not bore with massive repetitions. I am absolutely not disappointed - nevertheless, these six tracks would have benefited from a more menacing touch or a more morbid undertone. Maybe the band should not leave the composing to Remco Kreft alone. Doubtlessly, he does a good job (as composer, lyrics writer, lead vocalist and guitar player), but a few impulses from the other guys could be an invigorating element. The boys could also press the gas pedal more often. However, “Chants from Purgatory” satisfies the needs of death metal lunatics and even though there is still room for improvement, I cannot identify a really feeble point here. And do not forget that death metal is not my favourite genre – convinced death heads can and will add some percentage points to my rating.

First off, I’m totally biased when it comes to Graceless. Not only have I seen one of their very first shows ever, I’ve become good friends with the entire band, I’ve seen them perform on peculiar places, it helped they played on my 50th anniversary party and Wanda and me have been spotted on the Thanks-list of this album, now with my original name (Herman instead of Herrieman ;) ) Enough fanboyage, now the real 2022 deal. The third full length doesn’t need an intro to get fired up, as the previously released digital single Giants is full throttle modern death metal. As far as I can recall, there’s no difference between the digital part and this one, but I have to dig deeper into that. Marc’s drumming is pounding, Jasper’s bass playing is energetic like he’s total master of his instrument. Kreft seems to have added an extra vocal chord, as his voice sounds more thrilled and wider ranged, somehow. Björn has taught a few new tricks for his solos too. Will this standard go through until the end? Yes and no. In quality of songs, yes. Same drum rolls, same bass technique? No. Same speed? No, as in the title track the first Gorefest-break (vocally and in riffing) takes the killzone. Halfway the song it’s like hearing Scourge of Iron in a Dutch way, this is sooo brutal! No, as Gates to the Gallows begins relatively slow for this band’s normal pace. Heavy, but slow.

So far, it’s a 100/100 score to me. The artwork is a set of demonic, hell-like drawings by Daemorph Art. The picture shows one of the four horses of the Apocalypse, a Kraken-like creature, double headed D&D features, loads of corpses, fire and teeth; it makes me want to explore it like I did with Beneath the Remains and Cause of Death and that’s a great compliment for the artwork, I say. The sound of the record is balanced, even though I hear it from a small set (first time was off YT through laptop speakers; I’d rather test my JBL-8 speakers with this CD). When the breaks roll in, there’s no gap in music like some OSDM records still have. When the band speeds up, all instruments are still clearly recognizable. There is some Exodus-like riffing in Gates to the Gallows and apart from Bolt Thrower (obvious? Yeah, as Kreft wears a BT shirt on the inlay) and there are more heros of old to be heard as influence. 1990-Iron Maiden comes to mind, Master of Puppets, Hell Awaits, Paradise Lost – Draconian Times.

Genuine doom is also present on the record, as the break in the record, three songs in, is the successor of Embrace the Rain. Not without reason the band has a Never Forgotten chapter following the Thanks list: Pim, Sven, Trevor, L.G. and Enni (organizer of many shows in Germany). This song has one of the first twin solos the band ever recorded. Nyctophilia (look up that word, it makes sense to the lyrics ;) ) is doom death in great form. The sense of loss and being left out is so alive here, it makes my hairs stand up.

Speed metal part on a death metal album? Why not? Life of Agony feel in riffs? OK, done. Uptempo slashers, ready for the pit? Found. Have you listened to Carnation – Reincarnation? Probably. On and on going riffs, melodic or brutal, fast as a shark shreddings? Yup. Even an attempt at an Arch Enemy roll is not hidden. The band has grown. Again.

Do I find something negative on this record? Up to the song Saint… no. Only thing I can think of is that it’s hard for the band to choose songs to play live, as all songs are killer. Blood of the Brave had been played several times before this CD was released, so I knew what to expect and beforehand: what to love! The band still uses some phrasing like found on their previous releases, but no death metal enthusiast will complain about that. Certainly not me, I was, I am and I always will be a fan of this band. There hasn’t been a CD this year that thrilled me so much. 99/100. And not only because I’m a fanboy.