It could happen at any point in a band’s career and it’s truly anyone’s guessing as to specifically when it occurs. When a band strikes upon real, undeniable gold, even if the band’s discography has long been nothing to look down upon or scoff at whatsoever, it’s always an occasion to be greatly celebrated. For over ten years now, Grá has been a name that demands respect from those who come before its power with the band’s particular brand of black metal always being something that demands people take notice of what it delivers. However, even in the face of success, Grá clearly doesn’t find long-standing respite with their drive to challenge themselves and attempt something different an undeniable force in the crafting of their material. A stark change from its predecessor in more ways than one, the fourth opus from Grá still manages to find wild success in just the first few minutes of its runtime.
Change can just as easily lead to success as it could immense failure. It all depends on the hands that are crafting it. Attach the very name of Grá to it, though, and I would dare anyone to insinuate that we would be met with failure or disappointment in any form as such a belief would be parallel with that of apex blasphemy given the band’s discography up to this point with Grá’s fourth full-length album, “Lycaon”, simply continuing that excellence in nothing short of glorious fashion. Viciously melodic in even its tiniest moments where the build-up is the name of the game, every track of “Lycaon” has more than a little call its own more than some riffs even if they are absolutely deadly along every step of the way with it showing a side of Grá that I think we all knew was there, but to see the name full embrace this side of their sound and execute it with unbelievable mastery and competency is to lay your eyes upon and feast your ears to a treat that just keeps on giving at every step of the way. A more straightforward release than its predecessor but no less than deadly at each and every turn as Grá puts on a display of undeniable dominance that is fantastic right from the get-go with the listener left all but scrambling at the end to plunge yourself back into the powerhouse of “Lycaon” so that the glory never stops so long as you have anything to say about it.
Everything that went into this record made for a hell of a performance that is something to behold whether you’re in for the melodic mastery, the know-how of black metal that Grá has long used to their advantage, or the very name of Grá was enough to draw you towards the record in the first place. No matter which you fall under, there’s no way to look upon all that’s delivered with “Lycaon” and not feel as though Grá has made for anything short of another need-to-hear album that many would be wise to take part in should they not be unfortunate enough to have this record pass them on by.
“Lycaon” releases on January 13th via Avantgarde Music!
LISTEN to an advanced track from “Lycaon” on Bandcamp here.
LIKE Grá on Facebook here.
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