Review: Mountain Grave “Rage and Ruin” (2011)

Reviewed by David Pearce

Artist – Mountain Grave
Album – Rage and Ruin
Label – Unsigned
Year – 2011

Track Listing
1. Rage And Ruin
2. Fleshcravers
3. The First Edict
4. Holocaust God
5. The Jackal’s Mange
6. Cruithin Na Cruin
7. Horrid Gutrag
8. Morphin Time (Power Rangers Theme)
9. A Necromance
10. Face Of The Martyr
11. The Divide
12. The Moshing Of The Nuns
13. Return The World
14. Messengers
15. Ruin Of The Innocent

Mountain Grave is a metal collective started by Brian Rush in 2005. The first official Mountain Grave release, “Darkness, Bloodshed, Chaos, Satan” was recorded in 2009. It is a lyrically satirical, yet aurally suffocating onslaught of black and death metal. Unreleased material kept accumulating and diversifying, spanning powerviolence to power metal. It was simply too draining to start a new group every time a new album had been visualised, and would surely not be coherent with the previous release. Brian teamed up with George Penney of Todesfaust for the 2010 demo, “Ruins,” a much sweeter style of extreme metal than the debut. Due to constant moving and the interests and strengths of new social circles, 2011 saw the black/thrash release, “Rage and Ruin”, recorded in Indiana with members of Partiac Arrest, Narrow House, Theophagy, and Lorenguard. June, 2012 will bring “The Ancient Disease”, an EP that will be their first release to feature a different style and lineup in every track. Mountain Grave’s future holds more of what you love, and even more of what you would least expect. Don’t be surprised when a bombastic symphonic metal opera propels you into bliss, counter attacked by ugly sludgy doom.

The album starts with the title song of the album Rage And Ruin which starts off with a little clean guitar riff that explodes into life with some powerful guitar riffs, harsh vocals and pounding drumbeats. The whole song is really well put together it from really fast guitar work then is slows down a then goes quick again with some galloping riffs and some really good fast solos a good start to the album. The next Three songs are Fleshcravers, The First Edict and Holocaust God they have some real quality riffs, solos the drums are pounded out sometimes with a galloping beat and the vocals are well put over with powerful force. The Fifth song is The Jackal’s Mange is starts off with a classic style riff then bursts into action with the harsh vocals that make the album what it is. Again the guitar work is played at such pace it is really well done, it then slows down a bit in the middle then picks up pace again towards the end, but it is a well balanced song. The next Three songs are Cruithin Na Cruin, Horrid Gutrag and a quality cover of Morphin Time (Power Rangers Theme) these songs have again more of the powerful riffs, pounding drums and quality harsh vocals. But the Power Rangers Theme was done to perfection I played it for my children and they instantly recognised it that was how well it was done. The Ninth song on the album is A Necromance and it starts off with some spoken words then comes in a classic style riff, the vocals on this are harsh but done with purpose. It also has some clean vocals in it, which gives it another edge to it near the start. The song has some really good riffs and solos in that make me want to get the old air guitar out and start shredding along to. The pounding drums smash out the rhythm and near the end it has some what sounds like an organ playing which again gives the song a different feel but it has been well worked into the song. The next Three songs on the album are Face Of The Martyr, The Divide and The Moshing Of The Nuns on the song Face Of The Martyr the vocals have a similarity to Cradle Of Filth but done very well. The rest of the songs are done in the same vein as the others fast riffs, hard harsh vocals, pounding drums and stunning solos. The Thirteenth song on the album is Return The World starts off with a powerful riff and pounding drums then the vocals come in. The song continues to have some really heavy thrash riffs in it then slows down in the middle of the song with a clean riff then bursts into life again with a stunning solo accompanied with the pounding drums and harsh vocals another good strong song here. The next song is Messengers it has everything you need fast paced riffs heavy drumbeats and good quality harsh vocals. The last song on the album is Ruin Of The Innocent starts off with another good riff quickly followed by the vocals, The power of the guitar riffs is really good and the vocals and drums make it a really good end to the album.

Overall

This is a good quality heavy Thrash album that will get you rocking till the end. It is full of high-speed riffs accompanied by some quality harsh vocals, stunning solos and powerful pounding drumbeats. It has got some added bonus stuff in with some organs in one of the songs, which gives it an added dimension to the album but It has been well done.

8/10

Members

Brian Rush – Vocals
Kyle Cripe – Drums
Austin Smith – Bass
Aaron Whicker – Guitar
Ray Carlyle – Guitar

Songs

Final Dimensions of Blight (2012)
http://soundcloud.com/brian-rush/mountain-grave-the-celestial
Rage and Ruin (2011)