Adorned Graves (thrash/death/doom metal)

[Kerrick]

Last year, German thrashers/doomers released their debut full-length Out From The Depth Of The Grave and it's been on pretty steady rotation for me ever since.  For some reason, I don't see this band get mentioned nearly as often as they should, because they're really excellent.

There's a lot to be praised on their album [their EP is great too by the way], but what stands out to me the most is a) the variety, b) great songwriting, and c) bold lyrics.  Something that really makes a band stand out to me is their ability to create an album which really takes the listener on a journey - as opposed to just a compilation of songs.  While at their core, they're a thrash metal band, there's so much more here - from heavy to death to dooooooom.  And perhaps what's most impressive with regards to their variety is in the vocals.  The vocals match the instrumentation extremely well, full of range and variety of style.  Many bands can make music full of variety, but good songwriting is key to make it actually work and these guys are pros in that department as well.  The songs are catchy, well structured, and stick in your mind for well after you've finished the album.  Additionally, the songs all fit together to create one cohesive listening experience all the way through the album.  And while each song fits together with the rest, each song totally stands up on its own too (with the exception of an interlude here or there).  That's all fine and good, but perhaps what sets Adorned Graves apart from the multitude of other bands is their bold, focused, and poetic lyrics.  The lyrics to the album are mostly all references to biblical texts.  It's not a "concept album" per se, but the theme of the ocean is consistent throughout - with Christ at the center.

Also to note, I've messaged back and forth some with their singer and he's an extremely humble, friendly, and cool fella.  I always appreciate music so much more when the musicians are neat people.  

Here are some samples:

[MetalPioneer]

Agreed, the band is really cool. They sent me a CD to review for them. If I remember correctly, you helped me get in touch with them, Kerrick. You can read my review here:

https://matthewsmetal.blogspot.com/2017/09/adorned-graves-out-from-depth-of-grave.html

[Kerrick]

Ah yes, I believe you are correct!  Great review. 

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