The Graviators - Evil Deeds (album review)

Though I've been living with this album for well over a month now with now signs of wear and tear, I just picked up the CD version when I took my monthly haaj down to Scrape Records.  I never would have expected to find it there, but there it was in the miscellaneous 'G' section.  The sticker on the front cover read "Stoner/Doom ROCK! For fans of Kyuss & Alice in Chains!".  A not entirely accurate assessment that barely scratches the surface.

First off, the name of the band is something to ponder.  Do these guys make gravy or do they fill graves?  Either is appropriate because gravy is delicious and filling graves is fucking awesome (in a Stoner/Doom ROCK! context).  They will turn your brain into delicious gravy before putting you in your grave, presumably after serving said gravy to various dark lords from whom their awesome power to rock is granted.  And they do have awesome power to rock.

There's hardly a moment on this record that doesn't rock and a lot of that has to do with the funky, constantly driving, constantly building drumming of Henrik Bergman whose workmanlike performance is tailored to complement the guitars.  Never overshadowing, allowing them their time to shine but always driving things forward.  The hidden master.

Vocalist Niklas Sjöberg also does a lot to distinguish the band.  His ballsy and energetic performance goes above and beyond most of his peers.  Specifically his performances on "Morning Star", "Soulstealer", "A Different Moon" and "Häxagram" are particularly memorable and exceptional.

The band almost exists outside of time, occupying a genre all their own, equal parts 70s hard rock and 80s traditional doom metal (which at that time would have just been called doom metal) without sounding like either.  That sticker was way off, but it got one thing right: the 'ROCK!' part.  That's the best way to describe the genre The Graviators play, it's not rock, or even  rawk, it's ROCK!  The kind of music to turn your brain into gravy and fill your grave.

When casting a line for great music it's almost impossible not to reel in something killer from Sweden these days, The Graviators are one of the very top acts from a country absolutely stuffed with top acts.

Highlights include: "A Different Moon" and "Häxagram"

Rating: 4.5/5



From: Southern Sweden

Genre: Hard Rock, Doom, Stoner, Retro Rock

Reminds me of: Pentagram, The Sword, Witchcraft

Tracklist
1). Soulstealer (5:43)
2). Evil Deeds (6:13)
3). Morning Star (2:45)
4). The Great Deception (4:47)
5). Feelin' Low (4:15)
6). Häxagram (4:17)
7). Presence (8:01)
8). A Different Moon (4:11)
9). Forlorn (4:33)
10). The Infidel (8:12)
Total Run Time: 52:53

Release Date: September 11, 2012

Suggested listening activity for fellow non-stoners: Mmm, gravy.

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