(Prophecy Productions)
Rating: 9.5
Kremess is the second full-length from German duo Gràb. They are not an unknown force and what they bring to the game are lyrics in old Bavarian tongue. The album title means “funeral feast” in the old language and results in an album that is bold and cold Bavarian black metal.
The 11 track, 55 minute runtime is earned. The duo juggles the sounds of ‘90s black metal with vibrant melodicism, ancestral instrumentation, thorough heaviness, and mindful use of blastbeats. It paints a picture of a ruffled, grizzled, veteran man of the forest telling spectaculars tales of death and legends of the old world.
While the name Grànt might not sound familiar, he was known as Azathoth in Dark Fortress and sang on the first few records. Gràb lets him shine as a vocalist. His passion oozes as he growls with conviction and every now and then the deranged, manic side comes of out of him as he showed on records like Stab Wounds and Séance.
Gnást aka Dan Capp from Winterfylleth relays guitar, bass, and keyboards and lays down inventive song structures. The utilization of the dulcimer, violins, and flute interspersed throughout adds a diverse element elevating the tracks to another level.
The best of the bunch is “Vom Gråb im Moos”. The 8 minutes cobble together a slew of harshness, brilliant melody, and a melancholic flute outro. An outstanding stamp of black metal.
While Gràb may mean “old and grey” in the Bavarian language, Kremess is a crisp jolt of icy energy into the black metal veins.
Source: bravewords.com
