Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Grimheart--A Beast of Ancient Memory (Digital) {2026 Independent}


Here we have some forest-worshipping atmospheric black metal that seems to vacillate between metal and synth soundscapes, sometimes multiple times in the same song. It's pretty unique, I can't think of anything this band really sounds like, and that's a good thing. However, this just isn't black metal to me. It's so far away from the original intent of black metal as a vessel of rebellion in the face of the mainstream. The synths are overpowering, not just in the sonic sense, but in the sense that they dilute the metal and turn this into almost a classical music piece. There's no occult atmosphere, no lingering ghosts, no moldering corpses in the basement, just nature-worship and the saccharin sound of too many synths. Not for me, but your mileage may vary if you're more adventurous than I am.