Straight from the Netherlands hails the apocalyptic Black Metal project ASGRAUW with their latest and most notorious work, "Gronspech."

"Pletsmajoor" is a flexible combination of high screams and mid screams that exert pain and misery onto the listener at first listen. Likely to represent a theme of suffering due to the vocal disposition, the album begins with a substantial, dreary feel with a knack for targeting the mentally disturbed. "Wolvenbloed," is initiated by a high pitched scream and a brisk tempo. Drums are all powerful and plunder into the listener's eardrums. The track is very symphonic and depressive, along the lines of EMPEROR and bordering the DSBM genre, but only slightly. The track is far too intense to grasp onto the melancholia that it borders on.

"Sgoer," a slower, stormy visual over-swept with wind and nature, guides the listener onto a gradual pathway, and throws an overwhelming pattern of vocals and guitars into the mix. The song is fixated on the aggravation in the vocalist's voice, which is just as worrisome and deafening as the mixture of bashful percussion and extremely tight guitar work. Whilst nothing new to the album's general sound, "Duu Velsbe Rreg," gives the vocalist more room to express his disorderly thoughts into a whirlwind of pure grief and distress, and can be referred to as the "meat" of what the album attempts to express in terms of foulness, and a central feel of devastation coursing through the veins of both the listener and the musicians.

Interrupted by shovels digging (supposedly graves) "Kiste Trui" signals into the void with mystifying spoken word and quite tame guitar work; working together to build a favourable switch in mood. The track falls in place as the gloomiest, and their vocalist dedicates their expression to a different kind of emotion/isolation in the form of one's voice. "Duitenpact," rightfully resumes the typical Black Metal vocal style, and the somewhat ambient nature of the instrumentals. It is dark, gruesome, and chilling enough to signal the end of time whilst one falls into the hands of death; whether too busy digging graves or speaking to the lives of the once isolated. The remaining three tracks prolong the tone of the album in a wave of solemn, harsh extremity that does not explore any more territory important enough to discuss.

"Gronspech" is a visceral body of work, and perfect for a winter storm or a late night walk in the forest as the wind begins to howl. Fascinating Black Metal that is sure to disturb and provoke.Overall: 9