| CD REVIEW Grenouer |
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Band: Grenouer No, no, no…this ain’t no new album by this great Russian (St. Petersburg based) Industrial/ Death Metal band…and for the release of their most recent studio album (2008’s Lifelong Days) the guys chose to go with the Locomotive label, in spite of the fact that Casket Music/ Copro wasbraveenoughto re-issue the band’s early 2007 release Try (originally issued in Russia only through the Moon Records label)! Those among you having read my review of the European release (also through Casket Music/ Copro) of the band’s Try album (posted 24/02/2008), may remember that Presence With War was really the band’s 4th full-length release, originally issued in early 2004. By the way, if you’re new to the band and looking for info on ‘em (or want to refresh your knowledge on the subject), that review (with quite a detailed history-of-the-band) is still available for your scrutiny. Back in the days, the Presence With War album was the cause for the band to move from their original homebase Perm to St.Petersburg back in late 2003, to be closer to the infamous Finnvox Studios, where they wanted the album to be mastered. Seen as the band has had quite high praise for both the Try and Lifelong Days albums from media and fans alike, Casket Music must’ve felt it would be a good idea to re-issue Presence With War as well, as it closes in quite well stylistically with the albums which would follow it. Those not familiar with the band yet may wanna know that Grenouer creates, or used to create, singularly catchy songs by bringing in elements of Groov Metal, Hardcore, and Rock on a Death metal template. In the days of Presence With War, the band definitely still was in a less “complex” mood than they would become on the Lifelong Days album (which we were never sent as promo, but which I díd buy after all), but the resemblance to the Try album is rather striking! As I said above, If you’ve already come across the band’s music through either Try or Lifelong Days, you already have a good idea of what to expect here. Those not familiar with the band may wanna check out what’s posted at myspace.com/grenouer. In combination with what can be heard on their own website (www.)grenouer.com, that’ll give you 4 tracks off Lifelong Days, and one off Try…enough to get you on the right track of what the band are about! By the way, the re-issue of the Presence With War album has the distinct advantage of featuring a bonus track in the “Recoiler Remix” version of album track “Clonetigs”. Opening with rather Industrial leanings thanks to the use of a synth intro, the rest of the track is quite recorgizable, simply getting some synth lines on top (hey, as far as I can assertain, you know, I’m not a sound engineer)! Réal nice stuff, this album…and I simply lóve that kind of remix things, and I wouldn’t ‘ve minded more extras of the kind! Either way….hence the high rating…but since this IS a re-issue, I can hardly nomonate Presence With War into my year-lists, right?
98/100 Tony. |