GRAVESHADOW
“The Uncertain Hour”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

10/10

Graveshadow are a symphonic power metal band from the USA founded in 2012 by guitarist William Lloyd Walker, releasing three albums to date – ‘Nocturnal Resurrection’ (2015), ‘Ambition’s Price’ (2018), and ‘The Uncertain Hour’, released in 2022…

…featuring new vocalist Rachl Raxx Quinn, alongside guitarist Aaron Robitsch, drummer Bones Padilla, bass player Luci Rae, and (founding) guitarist Walker. The new album once again weaves varying styles of metal music into the bands root power metal sound – styles such as thrash, death, and (of course) symphonic metal. Loaded with ten heavy hitting songs, the new album is brought to life with a haunting intro for the six minutes plus ‘Soldier Of 34’, before crash, bang, and fucking wallop – the band explode into life with a thrash metal ferocity! New vocalist Quinn has a piercing vocal delivery, while guitarist Robitsch adds harsh backing vocals, with the bands unique amalgamation of thrash, death, and symphonic power metal as emphatic as it has ever been. Roaring on, the band adopt a more traditional metal flavour for ‘Gwynnbleidd’, the classic old school gallop of masters Iron Maiden making its presence felt. Elements of symphonic metal are present too, ‘Gwynnbleidd’ a thundering statement of intent – it’s been fours years since the bands last album release, and they’re still very hungry to make an impact. ‘Sea Of Apparitions’ the next thunderstorm to fill the air – the fire and brimstone still burning brightly! And even though the metal is rough and tough, the band tuck a melodic edge into every song – gluing together every influence this album has to offer.

Without pausing for a breather, Graveshadow ramp up the heaviness, with ‘The Swordsman’ bringing a bold and brash feel to an already fierce album – and introducing guest vocalist Chelsea Murphy (from death metallers Dawn Of Ouroboros). Intensity plays a big part in the bands sound too, Graveshadow not letting it slip for a single moment, ‘Vengeance Of Envy’ moving the album forward with foot stomping authority. Mid tempo and mildly menacing, ‘Vengeance Of Envy’ is highly melodic and the catchiest song heard so far. Bustling into sight ‘Beautiful End’ blends the two vocal styles – clean symphonic and harsh death – to great effect, marching on with a majestic tall and proud feel. It’s amazing just how many genres the band transcend, having a very wide fan base with an even wider musical taste! The galloping style of metal makes a return with ‘The Betrayer’, crossing boundaries and breaking down borders – the band never content to just stand in the one genre. It’s like the five band members are individually standing in different genres, pooling all their inspirations into one great big wall of sound! Obviously they don’t all stand in different genres – it’s just an off the wall vivid and visionary concept from the weird and wonderful mind of a creative writer!

Quinn really “gives it some” with a powerhouse vocal display for ‘Shadow Battles’ – a thunderous yet menacing, melodic yet harsh gallop of hard hitting heavy metal. The band continuing the high intensity level with which the album began, the energy required do so must be phenomenal! Here’s hoping they’ve all got something left in the tank for the two remaining songs – the two longest songs on offer! ‘The Two Lived’ leads with a harsh vocal growl, leaving Quinn to chime in as a secondary vocalist. A switch that was unexpected, but not unexpected of the band, for Graveshadow are always challenging their limitations, stretching their boundaries, looking for new and different ways to entertain and excite. And with ‘The Two Lived’, they’ve definitely succeeded. Ending the album is the longest song on offer, the seven minutes plus ‘Damsel’s Finesse’. Hitting the ground running, ‘Damsel’s Finesse’ is a culmination of all the bands influences and inspirations, and sees the band roam around genres like a shopper roams around the mall. A cracking end to what has been a sparkling and diverse album of heavy symphonic power metal.

Overall, with a wide array of inspiration, Graveshadow deliver a boundary breaking genre hopping album of intense heavy metal.

TRACKLIST

Soldier Of 34
Gwynnbleidd
Sea Of Apparitions
The Swordsman
Vengeance Of Envy
Beautiful End
The Betrayer
Shadow Battles
The Two Lived
Damsel’s Finesse

https://graveshadow.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Graveshadow/

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