GRIMBANE

One of the first monstrous Moribund releases of 2008 (along with SATAN'S HOST's "Great American Scapegoat 666"),"Let the Empires Fall" by Canada's GRIMBANE is jammed with strong riffs, fundamentally catchy (though maybe not "melodic") tunes, and crisp production. The membership pedigree is strong with vocalist/guitarist Barbarous (BLASPHEMY, PROCREATION, NECROSLEEZER, GODLESS NORTH),bassist Madonna Slayer (PROCREATION),guitarist Sordid (ODIN'S LAW, ANTI CHRIST),and drummer Hedon (ODIN'S LAW, ANTI CHRIST). But it's the dirty blackened groove and no bullshit song craft that really makes "Let the Empires Fall" a keeper.

I've said it many times in the past, but when a band can take a basic formula that somehow transcends the simplicity of guitar, bass, and drums to make the kind of bone crunching impact heard on "Let the Empires Fall", the result is magical. Whether it is "Tyrannize Christians", "Unscrupulous Religion", or "God Cremated" (are you picking up a theme here?),there is not a damn bit of fanciness in the tunes; just straight up ripping riffs and a good bit of groove to go with Barbarous' ugly ass croaking. In fact, intentionally or not, "God Cremated" splits off just a hair from the rest of the tracks with a riff and beat that vaguely recalls classic British punk underneath the traditional black metal guitar harmonies. "Cauldron of Burning Iron" moves even further with a delectably iniquitous acoustic guitar and insidious vocal, interspersed with heavy riffing, to make one of the album's standout tracks. The title track is another ace, mainly for its simple and memorable chorus.

The crunch factor of the guitars on this baby is out of this world. Coupled with the crackling drum sound, the production is anything but lo-fi and basement recorded, yet still raw as hell. It's nice to hear such a strong mix that doesn't detract from the generally grotesque nature of the recording. A smattering of surprisingly effective anti-religion/Christian samples end up being attention-grabbers, rather than distractions or interruptions in the flow. In short, "Let the Empires Fall" is kind of like VD; it burns like hell and it's a bitch to get rid of.