GRIEF (Turbulent Times) CD
The gods are back! Sadly not with a new album, full of new songs but the almighty Southern Lord label aka Greg Anderson has done this excellent compilation with GRIEF founding member Terry Savastano, that contains unreleased and rare tracks of this important forerunner-band of the most brutal, slowest, depressing and torturous Sludge/Doom , which was ever given to this doomed mankind, during the bands exsistence since 1991. Unfortunetly GRIEF split-up and "Turbulent Times" once again shows how unique and uncompromising this band was. They were true and honest in their music and words, and have written their own sick chapter in the history of crippled Doom. It's very interesting to hear, how GRIEF have changed their sound during their exsistence from a Hardcore/Crustcore (remember Disrupt?) influenced Doom-band to a sharper metallic sound.
But the slow crushing and monstrous riffs are still present in every song and, except a very few times, the songs are played in slowest motion. GRIEF were one of the few bands, that have really created a hateful and desperate atmosphere in their long songs, where you can't get out. Every chord is like a nuclear explosion of depression in this landscape of alienation, isolation, misanthropy, drug abuse and frustration. Every word in the lyrics is direct and pure, no pathetic or pseudo-philosophical tendencies. There's no worse track on "Turbulent Times". With the first power-chord of "Lifeless" the maelstrom sets in and takes the listener on a intense ride through eleven songs, presented in a very powerful production. I'm not sure, if the tracks were remastered, but some of them sounding much better, than on the original releases. Ok, enough said...it's a must-have for all GRIEF-fans and the perfect start for beginners. But be forewarned! You can order this album from Southern Lord and check out the GRIEF homepage for lyrics and more.
(KK)