Gravehuffer – …Depart from So Much Evil

After reviewing thousands of albums for almost nine years at this point, it’s only natural that I’ve seen the rise, fall, and evolution of many bands that I’ve come across with all sorts of results across the board and regardless of style. The underground has remained undeniably bountiful when it comes to such randomness as we go from one band to the next, and one that’s defied my expectations has got to be Gravehuffer. After starting off as what could’ve easily been left as a thrashy punk band that would get stale after not too long, the call of so much more was alluring to the band to make their 2021 album, “NecroEclosion”, a lot more than what one would ever guess after such a start. Now, barely two years later, Gravehuffer manages to surprise yet again.

I have full confidence that if Gravehuffer were to have kept their path going through the style that they set forth with in 2017’s “Your Fault” when I first came upon them then we would have a quality yet still somewhat straightforward delivery of the sound that was delivered in those thirteen tracks, but that proved to be far from the case with the call of innovation and intrigue answered with the previously mentioned “NecroEclosion”. Yet, that felt little more than a mere dipping of their toes given what Gravehuffer has brought to the table for “…Depart from So Much Evil”. What feels like the natural progression from its predecessor, the over 36-minute runtime of these six tracks prove to be an absolute whirlwind that doesn’t just see Gravehuffer trying new things, but going into bold new territory that I don’t think any of us could’ve seen coming. While they still channel their thrashy punk roots for more than a little bit of this album, “…Depart from So Much Evil” is an organic and demented creation that bounces all over the spectrum of metal with psychedelia, nihilistic tendencies, and wanderings into sonic territory that can feel as liberating as it can harrowing. Whether you find the brief forms of outbursts of surprising rhythm or unyielding assaults upon the psyche, the 22-minute title track stands tall as the shining jewel of this record that proves to be the grandest creation from Gravehuffer yet as the boldest collection of their ideals to date and showing us in one fell swoop to not just seal Gravehuffer’s status as a name not to be underestimated, but sets “…Depart from So Much Evil” as a creation that is for those who aren’t afraid to explore new realms no matter how horrific they appear to be.

Works like this are what many bands work years to try and bring to life in some form or another, and, yet, it really does feel as though this is the natural course of Gravehuffer with the future ripe for even higher victories given the lessons unmistakably learned in the crafting of this experience. There’s much to find and yourself amongst within the depths of “…Depart from So Much Evil”, and I can only implore you to let Gravehuffer take you wherever it may so that its sights and secrets can be your’s as well. You must simply give in.

“…Depart from So Much Evil” releases on February 17th!

LISTEN to an advanced track from “…Depart from So Much Evil” on Bandcamp here, or via YouTube below.

LIKE Gravehuffer on Facebook here.

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