Welcome to Demo:listen, your weekly peek into the future of underground metal. Whether it’s death, black, doom, sludge, grind, thrash, goth, heavy, speed, progressive, stoner, retro, post-, punk/, -core, etc. we’re here to bring you the latest demos from the newest bands. On this week’s Demo:listen we celebrate the death and darkness conjured by Athens’ Gravewards.
Through some ingenious alchemy of technical thrash and old school death metal, Athens’ Gravewards have spawned a sound that’s as refreshing as it is undeniable. The Hellenic power trio, according to guitarist/vocalist Nikos, is comprised of old friends who all share “a passion for music and creativity,” as well as a deep love for true death metal. While Nikos, bassist Fotis, and drummer Vasilis “always had [their] rehearsal ‘meetings’”—as Nikos calls them—it was only recently that Gravewards took on its earthly form.
“There is no musical past anymore,” says Nikos, “only the path we craft with Gravewards.”
According to Nikos, Gravewards recorded their four song demo at Made in Hell Studios in Athens. “It was a good decision and we most probably [will] continue to do so,” Nikos says. “Only true studio recordings are real . . . No bedroom projects here at all . . . True music via the only true way. [Recording] was fun since we had our vision concerning the sound we wanted from the beginning. We do not compromise at all to matters of sound. It’s very important to enjoy our releases as listeners as well. Although Fotis decided to play fretless bass.” Nikos laughs. “Damn, what a hard thing. But all in all, he is a great bass player.”
While it’s difficult to compare Gravewards to another band they do sound exactly like a trio of like-minded shredders who’ve evolved to slayerdom and beyond after playing together over the years. Yet there’s this singularity to their music, this feeling of sudden inspiration. As if one rehearsal in barged some mysterious stranger with leviathan promises and an irrefutable proposition. But really, that’s selling the band short. Gravewards are simply that rare band that waited until they had something really worthy to say before they spoke up. But now they have spoken, and we should all fall to our knees.
Subconscious Lobotomy is available only on cassette. 300 self-released copies. Both “Casket Entrapment” and “Crawling Chaos” are exclusive Demo:listen premieres. Hitherto this post, only the title track was available for preview. Subconscious Lobotomy took total commitment, and requires the same in return. Contact Gravewards for your own copy. You’ve still got to hear the last track “Deathwomb Incubation.” Trust us, you want to hear “Deathwomb Incubation.”
Check this space next and every Friday for another killer demo.
