Grief Of Emerald – ‘It All Turns To Ashes’

Despite having been around, in one shape or form, for almost a quarter of a century, and being one of the most respected but under-rated acts on the Swedish black metal scene, it’s hard to believe that this is only Grief Of Emerald’s fifth full length album…

With their more symphonic approach to the genre, GOE perhaps inevitably have garnered comparison to the likes of Children Of Bodom and, to a lesser extent, Dimmu Borgir.  But, such comparisons are unfair, as GOE’s approach is much darker and denser than either of the two aforesaid acts, or many others who adopt a similar approach.

Yes, there are loads of swirling keyboards underpinning the blastbeats and grinding yet melodic riffs, but they are very much in the background, adding atmospherics and extra levels of dynamism where the likes of Bodom, in particular, have let the orchestration take over the songs and overpower the main drive.

The songs are well-constructed, mixing their recipe of aggression, melody, diabolism and intensity together in the right proportions, and the performances are examplary, matched by a superb production which draws out each of the constituent elements neatly and succinctly.  Highlight tracks include the aggressive opener ‘And Yet It Moves’, the punishing title track and the superb two part ‘Warstorms/Stormlegion’ which dominates the second half of this impressive and highly convincing album.

Track list:

1. And Yet It Moves
2. God Of Carnage
3. Where Tears Are Born
4. It All Turns To Ashes
5. Cage Of Pain
6. When Silence Becomes Eternal
7. Warstorms
8. Stormlegion (Warstorms Pt II)
9. The Third Eclipse

‘It All Turns To Ashes’ is out now on Non Serviam Records.

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