GRACELESS – Chants From Purgatory LP (transparent blue vinyl) Growth Mature

First off, I’m totally biased when it comes to Graceless. Not only have I seen one of their very first shows ever, I’ve become good friends with the entire band, I’ve seen them perform on peculiar places, it helped they played on my 50th anniversary party and Wanda and me have been spotted on the Thanks-list of this album, now with my original name (Herman instead of Herrieman ;) ) Enough fanboyage, now the real 2022 deal. The third full length doesn’t need an intro to get fired up, as the previously released digital single Giants is full throttle modern death metal. As far as I can recall, there’s no difference between the digital part and this one, but I have to dig deeper into that. Marc’s drumming is pounding, Jasper’s bass playing is energetic like he’s total master of his instrument. Kreft seems to have added an extra vocal chord, as his voice sounds more thrilled and wider ranged, somehow. Björn has taught a few new tricks for his solos too. Will this standard go through until the end? Yes and no. In quality of songs, yes. Same drum rolls, same bass technique? No. Same speed? No, as in the title track the first Gorefest-break (vocally and in riffing) takes the killzone. Halfway the song it’s like hearing Scourge of Iron in a Dutch way, this is sooo brutal! No, as Gates to the Gallows begins relatively slow for this band’s normal pace. Heavy, but slow.