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Spanish Doom has never been so charming !
New band from Spain, Grajo enters into the stoner rock/atmospheric doom scene with their debut album. Teased by the first song of the full-length ‘I Am The Sea’ (which I played like a million times), released in May, I was so impatient to listen to the whole, marked by the hypnotizing first single. And the wait was worth it. Released a few months later, this album has really blown my mind. Leading by the deep and cosmic voice of Liz and the awesome stoned riffs played by Josef, they deliver a doomish-style sound which takes you into a breathtaking trip. Out on tape and recently on CD (and soon on vinyl), this effort will grab your attention, that’s for sure!
How is the sound ?
Wrapped into the Pistolo’s heavy basslines and the loud Felix’s tempo, they sound heavy and put a mystical atmosphere on their 6 songs. Powered by the fuzzy and slow riffs, Liz’s voice brings a real charm, pulling this whole melody on a new level. In fact, the heaviness of the sound fits perfectly with this clear spacey voice, giving a powerful and stunning mix.
This release opens with ‘I Am The Sea’, first single (available on the Bandcamp page) and one of the biggest teaser in my life. Doomed by a solid riffage and some loud rhythm, this sound introduces you to the magical tone of Liz. It really hits you in the face, blown by this whole massive music. Close to what Windhand play, they totally bewitch you and you can’t do anything about it…
Followed by
Followed by ‘Golden Cemetery (Betrayal)’ and ‘Magic Eye’, Grajo makes you sink a little bit more in this vast ocean of doom sound. The guitar parts and solos are really captivating, most of the times fuzzed but sometimes deeper with a clearer tone. The bass sounds crunchy and hits hard, as the drums, contributing to the bleak atmosphere that the band decides to put you in. The vocals lead the way, put in front and completing this nice scene.
‘The Devil Rides Out’ and ‘Imperium’ continue this journey, showing that the band is not without resources. The riff in ‘The Devil Rides Out’ is really outstanding, giving an awesome rhythm and some energy to the sound.
‘Imperium’ is a little bit more an instrumental track, Liz’s voice just making an echo, literally, which resonate in your head. The sound is heavy, loud and slow and it’s quite relaxing. The beautiful guitar parts flow you away and you wish this moment to never end.
The conclusion of this trip comes slowly with ‘Feeding Your Demons’, where the crystallized Liz’s voice fits perfectly with all the instruments behind. This track seems like a goodbye one, showing you that the album is finished but you would kill for more ! As the last words of Liz come to your ears, the guitar shuts down and the drum stops drumming, you feel complete. Doom till the end, this song ends slowly and perfectly this trip you’ve just made.
This album is really trippy. This doom sound is great to hear and the album flows away literally during the listening, passing through stormy riffs to a deep instrumental track and coming back to infernal songs. They put a really good effort in this debut album and that’s why I recommend it. If you like intense doom sounds and feminine voice, you will love Grajo, I hope as much as I love them ! I really want to see more from this band, watching them climb mountains and make us memorize their name !
Why is this album worth listening ?
- The vocals are really deep, charming you and grabbing your soul.
- They put some awesome efforts in the atmosphere, pulling a powerful mix of a fuzz sound and a heavy aura.
- I’m confident in the future of this band, they release an imposing first full-length so I can’t wait for their future projects.
In what situation you should listen to this album ?
During rainy days or a cloudy weather, drinking a beer while you’re sitting at the corner of your window (maximum volume, of course).
Something particular to note ?
They just released this album on CD (it was already available on tape) and the vinyl is coming soon, this is a great opportunity to grab an awesome doom/stoner album and feed your fuzzy collection. The work on the artwork is breathtaking too !
Favorite Track
Magic Eye
For Fans Of
Windhand, Alunah, Monolord, Castle
Atmosphere Levels
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Purple Haze Level
Temperature Level
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