The Grey are, mostly, an instrumental post-metal band that have been ever present in the genre over the last few years. Making memorable post-metal can be a tricky task but over the last decade and a half there have been some truly memorable releases and the band’s third album Kodok certainly takes The Grey into those higher echelons. Whilst progressing themselves with some immersive musical textures, pace, anger, energy and contemplation they have also collaborated with some vocal and spoken word sections. Kodok has all that made early Pelican such a draw, it has the haze of Bossk and the desert flakes of fellow UK rockers Sons Of Alpha Centauri. Adorned with the ever stunning artwork of True Spilt Milk, Kodok is a true expansion and a beautiful execution of the instrumental genre.
I don’t want to skip talking about the first two songs but the third track ‘Sharpen The Knife’ has the legendary Grady Avenell (Will Haven) absolutely ripping alongside a track that feels like it was written with him in mind. The darkness, the fuel for the fire, the sludge it would have been wrong not to have him there. The sign of how good this album really is comes with my realisation that it isn’t even my favourite track. Opener ‘Painted Lady’ is nearly 12 minutes long and I still never wish it would end. The atmosphere that is created in the opening trio of songs is wonderfully dark, rich, textured and hits all the points that I am a real sucker for. Even the acoustic twangs of ‘Don’t Say Goodbye’ were ringing round my mind even though I was initially thrown by the track. Nothing fails here.
Kodok is an absolutely massive release which should appeal to numerous genre fans as it stretches well beyond post-metal with its atmosphere, weight, riffs and fuzz. The moments of calm still drip in intensity and never give the listener the chance to lose focus, it’s an album that grabs attention and holds it there. It is a true achievement that my two favourite songs are the longest which is quite the achievement considering both are over 9 minutes. The Grey have truly honed the skill of mixing the ingredients perfectly to produce a real peach of an album.
