Hailing from the US, A Gruesome Find play a brand of melodic
black metal in vain of Emperor or Rotting Christ, but also include touches of
death metal into their sound as well. “The Fire the Burns in Hell” is my only experience
with the band and although, I’ve heard mixed reviews about their other work, I
must say I was rather impressed with what this album had to offer.
The music on “The Fire the Burns in Hell” is built on the
foundation of melodic hooks that peak the listener’s interest which are followed
by a bevy of thick and heavy riffs that command your attention. The riffs are
generally a mixture between tremolo picking and melodic death metal similar to those
in the Gothenburg scene. This combination makes for some catchy and powerful
leads that remain in the spotlight for the majority of each song. The structures
of the songs are generally comprised of one main riff, which then has a short,
but melodic passage, then transition into another, distinct riff, which
essentially serves as the main rhythm of the guitars. A good example would be “...as
the Wind Blows in Darkness”, where the songs opens with a short, but strong
hook, which then descends quickly into a exchange of heavy riffs throughout the
song.
The drums are tight sounding and offer plenty of blast
beats, snares and cymbal crashes to create an atmosphere of dissonance and
destruction. Although the vocals punch quite a bunch and are aggressively in
the forefront of the music, they are, what one might say, run of the mill in originality.
That, by no means, belittles their overall sound, nor do they sound bad in any manner.
They’re just, a sound that you’ve heard many times over before. The bass is noticeably
absent for the most part, but the band does flirt with the aesthetic a little
by add some pianos as can be heard on “Summoning of the Nocturnal Spirit”.
There is a double edged aspect to the album that must also
be pointed out. Each song is a minimum of five minutes and upwards to nine
plus. On one hand this allows for some of the songs’ riff exchanging to take it
effect and create an enjoyable listening experience as you immerse yourself in
the melodic death tinged black metal sounds. On the other, a few songs suffer
from over staying their welcome just a little too long. At some points, instead
of a riffs sounding like they’re changing hands, they sound more like, simply
recycling the same notes over and over.
“The Fire that Burns in Hell” may not be on the level as anything
released by the likes of Rotting Christ, Cradle of Filth or Dimmu Borgir, but
their deathy, USBM sound was a welcome addition to the many symphonic black
metal acts at the time. Instrumental blemishes and length issues aside, “The Fire
That Burns in Hell” would be a welcome addition to any black metal fans
collection.
Highlights: “...As the Wind Blows In Darkness” “Bring Forth”
“The Fire That Burns In Hell”
Rating: 3.5
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