GRAVEWORM – ENGRAVED IN BLACK
Nuclear Blast - 2003
By Rodrigo Escandon
Engraved In Black is the fourth release and Nuclear Blast debut from the Italian black metal band
Graveworm.
Graveworm’s style of black metal is more akin to that of
Dimmu Borgir and
Cradle of Filth but without sounding like either band. However, that being said what
Graveworm have come up with
Engraved In Black is nothing more than rehashed ideas from those mentioned bands that do not sound as good and it is just a band that sounds uninspired and bland.
“Dreaming Into Reality”, is the album opener that immediately shows you just exactly what the band has in store for this album. It features a combination of melody and some aggression with the mixing of tempos. It will be heavy at one point, it will have “pretty” keyboard melody lines at another and it will get heavy again and there will be more keyboards. That pattern is repeated not only with this song but also with the rest of the album. “Legions Unleashed” may start off with a somewhat cool riff and features intense drumming but more uninspired keyboard melodies and a vocal delivery from Stefan Fiori that is both low in a death metal style and high pitch screaming like Dani Filth left me wondering what original idea the band has, if any. Those are the first two songs of the album but as the album continues you already get the point of what is happening and there really is no need to hear the rest.
There are a couple of instrumentals that are worth mentioning only because they are different to the rest of the album and therefore stand out, they are “Thorns of Desolation” which features both bagpipes and flutes and “Apparition of Sorrow”, a somber, classical and atmospheric album closer.
The fact that the two instrumentals are the songs that I remember the most does not bode well for
Graveworm.
Engraved In Black is a very boring listen and there is not much originality to warrant a look. If this is the black metal you enjoy then stick with the bread and butter bands and not a cheap imitation.
Nuclear Blast Website
Graveworm Official Website
