GRIEVING is a Doom Metal trio out of Sosnowiec, Poland. They formed in 2019 and released their debut album, "Songs for the Weary," on Godz ov War Productions in late July 2021. Although the album only clocks in at 28 and half minutes across six tracks, it packs a very heavy punch both musically and lyrically. With track titles like "Crippled by the Weight of Powerlessness" and "Lucifer Wept," you know you're in for some dark, brooding shit long before you set the needle down.

All three band members have long lineages (J. D. OVERDRIVE, THAW, MENTOR), with some cross over with one another - so not the first time in the studio, and it shows. The lyrical lines are short and paint their imagery with a bleak economy, concise but intense. Similarly, there is an economy to their style. There are not superfluous intros, outros, or interludes; the rhythm section stays on track with few wanderings; the vocals are clean and articulate; and there's a conspicuous absence of choirs, spoken word overlays, and field recordings. Yeah, so straight-forward and to the point-the point being some down-tuned, doom-laden reflection on a dying world.

There will be lots of comparison to any number of Doom bands, but that's why it's called a subgenre. There are some distinct markers that define the sound, and we shouldn't be surprised to find similarities between the bands that share the space. The question is, What sets GRIEVING apart? Across the six tracks, you'll find a fair amount of variation, with tempos ranging from sludgy to aggressive. Regardless of the styling, however, they are all consistently executed. GRIEVING is as good when they are trudging through the swamp ("Crippled by the Weight of Powerlessness" as an example) as they are when they are charging through walls ("Witch Hunt Eternal" for instance).

I love the fact that the there is no title track . . . because the sum of the six songs equal the premise upon which they are centered. These are lamentations to our day and time, regardless of your geographical location or your orientation to world-e.g., externally- or internally-focused. I also love the cover art (cover photos by Małgorzata Kubacka-Kałuża; design and cover art by Sar), with the multiple perspectives of an imposing chapel overlayed and aligned with arcane symmetry suggesting, of course, "This Godless Chapel."

There have been a lot of excellent bluesy Doom bands out of Poland in recent years. Maybe it's a reaction to socio-political influences, maybe it's the water, maybe there's a curse/blessing upon the land. Whatever the cause, we'll take the outcome. For fans of Doom, "Songs for the Weary" is a must have. While the test may be in their second outing, GREIVEING's debut album is a very strong start.