Spirit
Genre: Viking Black Metal
Label: Earth and Sky Productions
Country: Italy
Line Up: Chainerdog - all instruments
Black Metal? Viking Metal? Extreme Metal? How to term Grendel?.. Probably, all of this! This one-man band from Lombardy (northern Italy) comes with their fifth full length, and presents a very good sonic assault, mixing the most various influences in a vortex which catches since the first listening!
Chainerdog is the author of a very inspired and various songwriting, and besides an excellent skill with all instruments, his taste in the composition is quite unusual!
After a short intro, the first track "A mortal fight" opens to a sequence of epic atmospheres: a tight guitar riffing stresses fast-paced rhythmics and palm muting "speed metal style", which advance in a constant crescendo and weave intricate lines with glacial chords; everything is supported by a hammering and various drum programming that leaves you breathless, and by a thick bass guitar which contributes to filling the whole sound with dreamy broken chords and flawless solos.
Commendable is the vocals, a scratchy screaming which suits perfectly with the music, which is also enriched by occasional clean vocals and choruses.
Countless are the sources of inspiration of this work, listening after listening we can feel calls to various bands in each track, while speed and melodies are the cornerstones of the whole album. A well-managed choice in the mixing process stands out, and this crystalline production gives the album a modern profile, professional and enjoyable.
"Behind the clouds" and the title track, "Spirit" are the highlights of this very artistic work; a work in which an acoustic drum, naturally dynamic and full of facets, would have paired Grendel to the biggest international names.
