When a band has been around for over 20 years, their career has ebbs and flows. For Grave, they started strong, and then started sliding a bit and eventually took a break for a few years. Since their 2002 comeback Return From The Grave, the Swedish death metal band has been regaining momentum.
Dominion VIII finds Grave in top form. Their musicianship is razor sharp, and their brand of death metal is sometimes fast and intense, other times mid tempo and groovy, and they dial back the speed from time to time, but never lose the extremity. Grave takes it back to the old school for this CD, which was a wise decision.
Ola Lindgren is an excellent vocalist. His death metal growls are distinctive and understandable. He delivers the lyrics with conviction and emotion. Grave is one of the pioneers of Swedish death metal, and Dominion VIII shows they still have plenty of brutality to unleash upon the world.
(released June 10, 2008 on Regain Records)
