I must and will admit that I am a man with a couple of prejudices. When Klaus told me he would send me Doom Metal from Finland I immediately thought of Reverend Bizarre. Especially 'cause Klaus sent it to me. Then I got the package and I must say the name of the band and the title 'Cancer Appreciation Song', which in all honesty I think of as a bit stupid, made me think of some more heavy approach to slow music, probably more extreme. But that was either not the case. Their info says they play Heavy Doom Metal in the vein Of Black Sabbath, Pentagram and High On Fire. Everybody that plays doom is a bit like Sabbath so yep. And there are certain influences of Pentagram for sure. And especially in the real doomy 'Meles Infernus' one could even make out some Finnish Doom if you get what I mean.

Singer Taito even tries to get out some of those pathetic vocal lines and sounds. But they try not to follow that path alone. Hence the reference to High On Fire that shines through, especially in 'Cancer Appreciation Song' and 'The Eloquence Of Decadence Purveyor'. I take my hat off to the band for trying to go ways that have not been gone before by many and for trying to stay away from the total stereotypical Doom. And they blend their ingredients well. But on the other hand some of those more modern sounding parts are just not what I dig here. Neither do I dig the vocals. They have not enough tone for real singing either, but mostly are not aggressive enough for shouts. And this really turns me off. Just when Taito gets all aggressive in the last song, I can say he does well. Maybe he should concentrate more on that. Nevertheless, if you dig your heavy stuff both the good old doomy way and the more modern heavy rocking way, Grave Siesta might have something to offer for you.

(Thorsten Frahling)

www.myspace.com/gravesiesta