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Released on January 22, 2016 via Prosthetic Records
Swedish hardcore mob Grieved have the honour of being responsible for the third loudest gig I’ve ever experienced – their triumphant set at Temples in 2015 has only been bested in volume by Sunn O))) at the same festival, and UK grindcore heroes Cholera in a brick-lined basement in Leeds. Grieved live are a fantastic experience; visceral, heavy and exhausting, a blur of movement and noise. Their brand of feedback drenched hardcore is always going to sound great live, and the band manage to maintain this on record – debut EP Samaritans was a devastating first shot across the bows, all smart riffs, and uncompromising attitude. 2016 brings their debut full length, and it’s the first real contender I’ve heard this year so far for a spot in my Top 20 list for this year.
I always think it takes one of two things to make a record self-titled; either a complete lack of imagination, or a massive confidence that the music laid down represents the complete essence of that band, its drive, dynamic and identity all wrapped up in one package. In Grieved the band have demonstrably picked option two. The record fairly bristles with intent, from the opening strains of ‘Opaque’ we’re in brutal, guttural, emotive hardcore territory, taking mid-paced riffs and building the intensity throughout, never once sacrificing intelligence or emotional impact for a cheap shot breakdown. It’s a record that requires attention. It screams, it shouts and its vicious kinetic energy drives the listener deeper into the depths of the songs. It’s a glorious record, devastatingly simple in intent but more complex in delivery with clever song writing almost hidden under massive riffs and squealing feedback.
The whole album deftly blends old and new with recognisable traditional hardcore riff structures and progressions as anchors, all the while building in more progressive modern touches, including smart riffs with an unassuming technicality that feels perfectly in place and consistent. ‘Fogbound’ is a great example of this, all raw power and guttural screams that sound like vocal chords are being shredded, before a tempo change moves the song into sludge metal territory. The band play with perceptions and dynamics throughout; for example ‘Synesthesia’ is a lovely delicate instrumental guitar track with an almost post-rock feel which represents a beautiful and effective calm in the storm before the big wall of chords that marks the beginning of ‘Asunder’, which powers through with some oppressive riffage. The groove displayed ‘Opaque’ is a welcome move forward from the more staid structures on their prior EP, and ‘Losing Touch’ has a massive stomp to it that forces an involuntary head movement. ‘Drain’ plays an awesome trick on the listener by establishing a rhythm with guitars and then subverting it with the rhythm section. Touches like this feel fresh, engage the listener and elevate the record above its peers.
A special mention needs to go to producer Lewis John, who has performed a Derren Brown style trick by simultaneously caging and managing the sound so it sounds massive, meaty and tangible, but the record still sounds feral, angry and downright dangerous. The drums are massive, the bass feels full and provides a growling support to the thick swathes of guitars, and the vocals are clear, and pitched perfectly in the mix so that the nihilistic intensity rings through, utterly convincing and authentic.
There’s way too much thinking and analysis in this review though. Hardcore is about feeling; and Grieved makes sure I feel everything. Every note and every second of this record is about impact; volume, noise, energy, anger and self-loathing, all perfectly transferred from the stage to the grooves of a record. The album makes me feel the way I felt staring at the stage in Bristol in May or last year, jaw open, nerves tingling with the barely contained violence of the sound. It’s a stunning entry into the canon of modern hardcore and truly representative of their live show – given the kinetic fury of the Grieved live experience, this is the highest accolade that I can think of.
