Band: Grief Of Emerald
Title: The Devils Deep
Label: Non Serviam Records / Twilight Records
Distribution: Twilight Vertrieb / Bertus / Plastic Head Distribution
Release date: June 4th 2011
Review:

It’s been a while, but finally the Swedes of Grief Of Emerald return with a new studio recording, which will be released through Dutch underground-label Non Serviam Records. At the end of last century and at the very beginning of this millennium, Grief Of Emerald did record some acceptable albums, but with a scene that exploded back then, worldwide yet especially in their home country too, this band didn’t get the attention they needed / wanted / deserved. I do understand why. Grief Of Emerald stand for decent Swedish-sounding Black Metal, yet not sufficiently convincing to reach the level of ‘major’ acts like, let’s say, Naglfar, Dark Funeral or Setherial.
And honestly, I wonder if this full length will put Grief Of Emerald on top?...
My first impression, however, is extremely positive. The opening title track show a band, much more mature than before in all aspects. The composition is thought-through, constructed around a firm and melodic fundament, injected with nice atmospheric keyboards and with technical craftsmanship and the necessary variation in melody and tempo. Divine Dragon, the longest track (six minutes; the seven tracks have a total running time of thirty seven minutes), adds another audible dimension undone before, at least not as inventive or convincing, through the use of harmony vocals, an epic rhythm and a pounding energy.
It goes for all tracks, every single one of them combining the better details from melodic yet up-tempo Black Metal with a Swedish approach (the riffs undeniable do breathe the Swedish air), and including the orchestral spheres from both the Swedish and Norwegian scene.
Without any doubt, The Devils Deep is the strongest Grief Of Emerald-album to date. Nightspawn, Malformed Seed and Christian Termination do not even reach the quality of this album by far, which makes this album highly recommendable to fans of fast and catchy, slightly orchestral Black Metal in general.

80/100

Ivan Tibos.