GraViL – ‘No More Forgiveness’

Introducing ‘No More Forgiveness’, GraViL’s new album, released on 5th May 2017. Taking inspiration from the significant chain of losses in 2016, ‘NMF’ takes strength from the pervading social negativity of today’s world, asserting the need for positive action.

Detonate – Straight in there, with a vicious battering ram of drum rolls and inflamed riffs. Angry, raw vocals, making their mark, with zero hesitation and plenty of venom. Skreamer fans will take to this well.

Are We Alive – Slightly more melody, but just as much angry conviction. Cool rocky rhythm, loaded with fury, nestled in a metallic bed of riffs as hard as nails.

I Am The Blood – Similar beat and rolling rhythm to ‘AWA’, but leaning a bit more towards metal core territory. The raging, incensed shouts just don’t let up, other than to make room for the guitar solos here and there. Ending on a deeply felt shout, it makes its point.

Plagues, Thieves And Murderers – Moving into more sinister territory, introed by a slight sense of mystique and a hint of eastern flavour, still it segues quickly back into full force rage and violent assaults. A spoken section reminiscent of G’ ‘N’ R’ s’ ‘Coma’ briefly interlocks one pounding assault with another.

Locate The Traitor – Opening in much the aggressively murderous way you’d expect with a title such as this, it wins hands down, where the plausibility stakes are concerned. So closely focused on its objective, you wouldn’t want to be in the shoes of said traitor. A veritable feast of evil intent.

Choke In Silence – Another prime example of pure, unadulterated rage and nightmare inducing fateful ill wishing. Some colourful riffs in there, adding more melody to the mix and packed with hammering drum rolls. Ending on a vividly empowered shout, closely accompanied by well matched riffs and drum hits and it’s done.

Fractured And Divided – Opening up a somehow larger metallic landscape, filled with far greater visual imagery and bringing in guest vocals from Theresa Smith of Metaprism. It has to be said that those vocals really do add something special to the song, opening it up even more. A more melodic ending.

Decommissioned – Banging drum intro, rapidly followed by powerfully charged riffs and full-scale roars, brooking no argument. An exercise in powered aggression is probably the best way to summarise this.

Forever Is A Prison – Introing with more of the increasingly familiar batteries of drums and homicidal screams. Very strong title, laced with profundity and dread. Injecting some very welcome riff-based melody, but ensuring there’s no respite from the blood rage, it’s insistent, determined and unstoppable.

One Eyed King – Another Skreamer sound-alike, it’s a cumulative culmination of all we’ve heard thus far. A positive explosion of metallic fire. Slightly derivative, in parts, but in no bad way and it certainly proves its worth, throughout.

Overall – Hard-hitting enough to break through any crash barrier, a thousand times over.

8/10 ********

For fans of Skreamer, Pantera, Melodeath, generally and sub-genres, including metal core, grind core and thrash and NWOBHM crossover styles.

Artwork and design by Andy Pilkington, of Very Metal Art. http://www.verymetal.co.uk

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Released 5th May 2017