GRAVEN IMAGE is a Metalcore/Black Metal mashup hailing from the UK. This is the band’s debut EP, and it has five songs. “The Day is Min” opens the album, and it’s under two minutes in length. An elementary riff with earnest vocals stretches out, but the song is over before you know it. “The Seven Plagues” is next, and here you can really get the connection and combination between Black Metal and Metalcore. However, there are some minor phasing issues here and there, showing the inexperience of the band. “Reckoner” is next. Through three songs now, the band’s penchant is to use the open E chord as the base for their songs. It’s not a bad move necessarily, but bands tend to do this out of familiarity mostly.

The title track is a little longer, making it over the three minute mark, but the sound is very similar to the other three songs. Guttural vocals give the song a little diversity at times, but the music doesn’t help much in that regard. “The War in My Name” closes the album. Even though it is a little longer, it is still very one dimensional. You can see how the simplicity of the music might translate into an energetic live show, but that’s really all the accolades I can give the album. Overall, this was a fairly rough and unpolished album that doesn’t venture very far from the open E chord. As a result, the music falls very flat. Sure, it’s Metal, but it isn’t very creative or dynamic.