Gravewurm - Blood of the Pentagram

September 30, 2010

Reviewer: Chris

Black thrashers Gravewurm have proven to be one busy band. This year alone they’ve released two albums, not to mention a severely prolific existence since 1992. All in all I’d say the band has been doing something right to garner such longevity in a typically chew-‘em-up-spit-‘em-out business. So does the latest offering called Blood of the Pentagram hold its unholy water?

In line with the band’s often doomy black efforts, Blood of the Pentagram combines some of the old Celtic Frost sound with a hint of Morbid’s December Moon thrown in. Vocalist/Bassist Zyklon channels some of Per Ohlin’s early throaty Swedish work more so than the later Mayhem harsh screaming. While retaining that thin foreboding essence to the music, Blood also taps into the old Swedish reserve oh-so generously with the aforementioned Morbid and some Entombed.

This album reverberates like one of the old demos we’d get in the mail back in the day from some underground band that had the right formula if not the luck of the draw. In that sense it’s a cult throwback if that’s the style you’re into. While I still feel that Under the Banner of War is the classic for Gravewurm this album is a positive addition to the lineage. The production is predictably thin, with a bass mix that is considerably lacking. Some of the guitar work is catchy, if criminally familiar, but you know well what you’re getting into with black metal of this caliber: it won’t give Bathory a run for its money, but it will entertain you with its blasphemous aura that never seems contrived. That said, it is quite formulaic all over, but this can be forgiven when you make personal concessions.

The tracks that stand out as winners for me are “Infernal Devilry”, “Grave”, “Two Coins for Charon” and “The Sign of a Dark Destiny”. There’s something to be said for that old school feel of an underground black demo and Blood of the Pentagram finds it a useful tool. To a much harsher degree you can hear some demo-era Bathory fused with Hellhammer-like tempestuousness, all making for a decent effort over all.

Release Date: October 26, 2010
Label: Label: Hells Headbangers

TRACK LISTING

1.  Goat Command
2.  Grave
3.  Deeper Dungeons
4.  Blood Of The Pentagram
5.  Necromance
6.  Brought Before The Altar
7.  Infernal Devilry
8.  Lycanthropic
9.  Hordes Of Hell
10.  Two Coins For Charon
11.  In Praise Of Evil
12.  The Sign Of A Dark Destiny

Total playing time:  42:54

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