Death and occult Metal is driven by darkness, pure violent speeds, and growls from the depths of hell. GRAVE MIASMA has all of those tools in spades delivered with energy and power. Definitely new to me, the music struck me immediately as forceful, untamed, and dark, extremely dark. What also shocked a bit was that, eleven years after emerging from the depths of the UK as GOAT MOLESTOR and changing into GRAVE MIASMA in 2009, this is the group's first full length CD.

The sounds assault you with some severe skull-crushing riffs, bone snapping drums and bass, and songs that find the subterranean spoodge that humankind has dumped upon the depths of darkness as demonstrated in the opening track "Death's Meditative Trance". This song alone left my brain splattered along the concrete steps that suddenly plowed up through the floor and led to places undiscovered. There is no let up as the second track "Ascension Eye" grinds you through a maze of darkened hell with no means of escape.

The band has a lot more to offer as the album powers on; "Ovation to a Thousand Lost Reveries" actually has several nice tempo breaks and hints of some future guitar solos that do eventually come, solidifying the unnatural sounds as pure dark Metal. This is the track that made me keep listening as the many breaks and changes showed flashes of brilliance hidden to my untrained ear of the genre.

The assault continued on and again I was surprised as "Interlude" bloodied my speakers only to halt and be surrounded by unearthly Hammond and bells echoing in the caves. This was followed by "Seven Coils" that showed again that the band may just now be scratching the surface of their wide array of talents. Moments of unity between the guitars and bass before taking off into the dark spectrum only hint at what this band can do. For those uninitiated with this genre and darkness, this may just be the album that pummels your senses into submission to stay around and hear more.