Veil of the Gods

Graven Sin can be added to that growing list of classic metal bands for people who like extreme metal. Veil of the Gods is the work of members of Horna, Sargeist, and Arrayan Path, and if you can’t guess who provides the towering vocals for epic cuts like ‘Bloodbones’ then you probably need to Google who Nicholas Leptos is. As a result, there's a sort of power metal undercurrent to the inherent doominess of this debut album, as well as the serious ballast that you'd expect from those band names mentioned first. I mean, you can certainly describe Doomocracy or other epic doom groups as "crushing", but this really takes that epithet to its most extreme application. The downward crunch of the instrumentation gets dragged up to howling heights by Leptos at his moments of individual focus (the refrain including "the end of the world" in 'Bloodbones' is the most obvious among many examples), while other cuts like 'Cult of Nergal' add grittier vocals to exacerbate the heaviness. Oh, and this may be the heaviest 2023 release that I'd describe as 'pompy' as well. Really, bombast is all around.

As a result, Graven Sin emerge as equal parts Candlemass, Manowar, and Stormwitch, only with everything pushed to 11 all the time instead of revelling in classic environs. Here's why you might be better off approaching from the extreme metal side. Given that Veil of the Gods starts with the most epic song in ‘The Morrigan’, it surprisingly then goes on to remain epic pretty much for an hour, which is enormous, crushing, and perhaps a bit much for those accustomed to the subtler approaches of traditional heavy or doom metal. Normally something I bitch about when there's too much, downtime really doesn't enter the picture at all during these 11 tracks, and - seeing as they vary little from a 5 minute average - a shorter cut or a ballad might actually have been nice, giving a bit more dynamism to the heaviness when it returned. Then again, this is pretty much what I've always wished for, and some cracking riffs get pulled out later in the experience, such as on the shifting tempo section of 'Beyond Mesopotamia' and escalating guitar worship in 'The Jackal God', so proceedings don't get boring.

I don't think I need to say much more to get the message across to the right people: if most epic metal is not epic enough for you or not metal enough for you, Graven Sin will be. The only thing I should probably add relates to the catchy qualities of these songs, which you might find yourself singing unexpectedly a few weeks later. Veil of the Gods represents a fine collaborative effort between musicians with a lot of pedigree and experience, all of which is obvious from this album. Just make sure you have the stamina for it all.


Originally written in edited form for Metalegion #14 - www.metalegion.com

The chitter-chatter online about this debut from International outfit Graven Sin piqued my interest, as people had a hard time pinning down their sound, given that they straddle a few generic boundaries, so I was curious to see what all the fuss was about. These guys are seasoned pros, with two of them doing time in Horna, and vocalist Nicholas Leptos doing great shit with Arrayan Path, so ‘Veil Of The Gods’ is a professional product, but I wasn’t expecting the level of ownage this trio brought forth. Graven Sin play an anthemic mix of epic trad metal with serious doom and power metal inflections, full of big, booming vocals, rolling riffs, and hammering drum work. The most obvious reference point at first blush would be Sweden’s Sorcerer, as Graven Sin similarly dress up a dark, brooding sound with soaring vocals and huge choruses, but in truth this touches upon a multitude of sounds, from Astral Doors, Candlemass, Solitude Aeturnus, and even Dream Evil coming to mind as the album goes on. The whole is a killer combination of power metal bombast, true metal songwriting techniques, and doom textures and moods.

Kicking off with one of the album’s strongest tracks, ‘The Morrigan’ gives you a good indication of what Graven Sin can do, with its driving riff and brisk pace, not to mention Leptos’s vocals, which come across as quite vulnerable on the first half of the album, while he hits some lower notes and darker spots during heavier attacks like the almost thrashy ‘Cult Of Nergal’. ‘From The Shadows’ is up next, and it’s my favorite cut here, just a masterclass in subtle hooks and Maiden-esque guitars. I love the chorus in this one; it hits you in the same way mystical USPM from the 80s does when it’s done well. The first half of the album is stronger than the second, with most of the doom influences coming out in marching tunes like ‘The Jackal God’ and the most despondent composition here, the utterly breathtaking ‘Wand Of Orcus’, which manages to get the pulse racing with some galloping guitar work and a menacing turn from Leptos. Earlier songs like ‘I Am Samael’ and ‘Bloodbones’ hit a vein somewhat reminiscent of early Iced Earth; the way they manage to make power metal dark and enveloping is something they seem to inject in every tune at some point.

The production has a glossy Euro execution, but the atmosphere really sets it apart from the dustier sounds of the NWOTHM. The only real drawback is the length; at nearly an hour, ‘Veil Of The Gods’ kinda wears out its welcome, despite the songs all having strong features. It’s pretty front-loaded with the exception of the last two tracks, which are fairly different to what the rest of the album offers. I was surprised how many times I hit the repeat button, though, as this is a fine start for Graven Sin, and anyone interested in trad doom or dark power metal needs it in their collection ASAP. Cool stuff.