When Black Metal arose from the depths of underground in the 90's, many bands showed a cultural link to the ugliest form of recording and making music. This was a trial for many media writers and even to experienced Metal fans to swallow that new form of music. But time passed and we are all used to any Black Metal musical approach that a band can do, and "Cenotaph", the new EP from Australian quintet GRAVEIR, is a fine example of how some bands still has a strong link to the past.

They prefer to keep their Old School Black Metal roots linked to the Finnish bands like BEHERIT and BARATHRUM, with that nasty and crude format that we all known. But although it isn't something new, we can hear that they have talent and personality. Their violent approach with tempo changes is really good. I believe that Black Metal fans that miss the 90's will love this EP. As I wrote above, as they prefer a crude musical approach to create their songs, the sound quality is truly raw. It seems a lot the old sound qualities we found in the 90's, when the "ugly" musical approach and the lack of better conditions made the ancients build Black Metal upon this sound foundation. But it works pretty well for the quintet, I must say.

They play in a good way, and the fast and funereal approach used on "Sanguine Inferno", the tempo changes on "Dyatlov" (very good guitars, besides there are moments when bass guitar and drums seems to lose the track), the crude and slow funeral called "Whips" (that has some fast parts as well), the sharp guitars and good vocals shown on "Droit de Seigneur", and the oppressive brutality of "New Gods (Drowning the Sun)" are fine examples of a band that can do better than we hear here. A good sound quality, but keeping this same musical spirit will show how GRAVEIR can become great one day.