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Grot – Beneath the Waves of Eternity

grot – beneath the waves of eternity

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Seemingly inspired by forest, woodlands, and nature as a whole, US Black Metal band Grot gained quite some positive feedback for their 2021 released ‘Hymns of the Woodland’ EP. And for a good reason. The band, that consists of drummer Hunter and Houston on guitar, bass, and vocals, had presented raw, almost Lo-fi, Black Metal with bestial distorted vocals and a relentless drive that let little room for taking a breather. And much of that core has remained intact on the band’s debut ‘Beneath the Waves of Eternity’, although the latest release is far from a carbon copy of the earlier material. The raw guitar sound and wild bellowing vocals have remained and the pace still lets up very little. Exceptions to the latter are the piano outro ‘A Burning Flame’ and the track ‘Gleaming Spear’ which at least starts off on a medium pace, but most of the time the drums rattle on and the guitars rages forward. Don’t let that fool you though, the music is Grot isn’t at all onedimensional, and most of that is due to the much-increased role of meandering melodies compared to the earlier Grot material. Catchy riffs guide the songs forward, and the affinity for melody is something that is best compared to the Finnish Black Metal scene. Grot isn’t nearly as melancholic in nature though, opting for a more adventurous style and dreamlike state, perhaps representing the apparent inspiration that nature has given the band.

A common reference found online is a comparison with acts like Hulder and Ieschure. In my opinion that is mostly based on that all these acts are led by a female. For the most part Hulder seems more inspired by Norwegian Black Metal, although you can argue that some of the earliest Hulder material has a hint of Sargeist that you can hear back on Grot’s debut as well. And the same goes for Ieschure, where only an occasional passage may sound somewhat comparable. Frontwoman Houston and Grot deserve to be judged on their own merits, and those are playing Black Metal that combines a raw sound with a strong emphasis on leading melodies reminiscent of the Finnish Black Metal scene, yet carrying a more yearning and dreamier atmosphere. Add some delightfully untamed vocals and a continuous sense of urgency, and one can only conclude that ‘Beneath the Waves of Eternity’ is a highly enjoyable debut album.

Grot

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