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G R A V E L A N D


“Thousand Swords” (Lethal Records, 1995)


Graveland comes from an immensely creative origin that has given birth to plenty of amazing bands, despite their dubious - and sometimes quite crystal clear - background. Bands like Veles, Infernum, Iuvenes or Fullmoon have many things in common: superb Black Meta artistry, as well as shameful political and social ideals. One does not understand how Black Metal is seen as a natural common ground for some specific ideals, and I do not support them in any way, quite the opposite, especially when Black Metal is, in short: hate for all and everyone. Oh well…
 
In reality there was no need to contextualize, as I assume a large majority of Black Metal fans are aware of the Polish Black Metal scene of the 90ies, nonetheless I felt there was a need to make things clear. Graveland is one of those bands that has been crafting the type of Black Metal I feel closer to, today. The Pagan and Folkish melodies, intertwined with the more aggressive side of the 2nd wave Black Metal result in magnificent records like the one we are analyzing now. “Thousand Swords” is the band’s 2nd album after “Carpathian Wolves”, and we see a change in approach. Less chaotic and more melodic; the Folk is strong in every one of the songs; it has a Bathory feeling to it. And this has been mentioned multiple times because it is true: Darken, Capricornus, and Karcharoth were aiming for a “Quorthon sound” but did not reach it with this release. I read somewhere that the production did not favor these tracks, but I will have to oppose that idea. I believe the album has the right amount of “clean production” to sound grand and powerful. You can hear all the instruments, follow all the melodic lines. It is such a powerful experience.
 
I have always seen Graveland as a band that has been evolving their sound constantly, hardly releasing 2 similar albums, and adding new elements with every new release. “Thousand Swords” is a classic album, at least from my perspective. No idea if it is the band’s best one, but I consider it to be that one release where we have the best of both of Graveland’s worlds: the Black Metal side and the Pagan/Folk side, which turned out to be a very well-balanced set of songs.



“Following the Voice of Blood” (No Colour Records, 1997)
 

Two years later, in 1997, Rob would call up on Capricornus again, and assemble another remarkable set of songs with “Following the Voice of Blood”. Graveland had started, with their previous release, to structure a sound of their own, very dynamic, and balanced fusion of sounds; their 3rd Full-length cemented their sound and approach to Black Metal and Folk music. “Thurisaz” is a great example of that fusion: the harshness of Black Metal with a melodic Folkish guitar; the drums give way to painting of Vikings raiding Saxon lands. It is here that Rob finds his inner Quorthon and gives us his first visions of Viking stage Bathory.
 
In terms of musicianship, we can see that the quality of the compositions is improving, we now have more detailed tracks, more complex structures, the usage of keys is done in a much more prominent way, giving the music a more majestic outcome. Rob and Capricornus are now taking their music to higher levels of everything! They gave us the rough side of Graveland, now we are given the more epic side of the band! The track that gives the album its name is a great example of such. Rob still holds on to his Black Metal vocals, no doubt, but the way the music is constructed allows for both realities mentioned before to coexist in an almost perfect symbiosis. “Raise the Swords” showcases what Graveland would become in the near future: an epic Folk Black Metal force to be reckoned with, and the addition of more symphonic elements would help elevate that side of their sound, as well as extract the Folk vein in its totality. “Immortal Pride” is up next…



“Immortal Pride” (Eastclan, 1998)


“Immortal Pride” is Graveland in its almost perfect form. From my point of view, the band achieved “the top of the mountain” with “Thousand Swords” and “Following…”, however, “Immortal Pride” shows a much slower, and majestic, Graveland. The album is a 2-song record (plus an Intro and Outro) where we see the band elevate their mastery like we had never seen before. Rob goes for the clean vocals, and it is a win, in my opinion.
 
Similar to what Varg attempted to do with “Daudi Baldrs” - minus the vocals, of course - at times, “Immortal Pride” shows a much more mature method of composition, and a great usage of keyboards to allow the listener to place himself in that mindset. Far from the raw and visceral aggressive outbursts of the Past, we have epic details and magnificent Folk melodies that had been worked on, perfected, absorbed, with their previous works. “Immortal Pride” is the soundtrack for your passage through the gates of Valhalla, that is how amazing this record is! 


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