Review at www.bullymag.com
Ken Wohlrob
Grand Magus - s/t
By Ken Wohlrob
Grand Magus
s/t
Rise Above/The Music Cartel
www.grandmagus.com
God fucking damn! The bluesiness, the groove, the power, the energy! Grand Magus has A sound; it hooks you instantly.
Kind of a potent mixture of Soundgarden and COC, with that solid Sabbath foundation, Grand Magus is another band that proves the Nordic tribes are kicking the crap out of the rest of the rock world. From the opening of "Gauntlet," youīll dig this disc, immensely. Itīs the combination of super thick guitars, lazy groove-filled beats, and powerful harmony vocals that hooks you. "Legion," "Coat of Arms" and "Wheel of Time" all have a power and delivery to them that just knocks you over. Itīs amazing to hear, especially considering the album was recorded over a three day period. The middle section of "Wheel of Time" is just brutal.
Lead singer/guitar player Janne has a set of pipes on him that rivals Chris Cornell or John Bush in his ability to pour every last ounce of emotion into a track and make you feel it. Listen to "Black Hole" and youīll understand what I mean. As for Bass player Foxy and drummer Trisse, just think Ward and Butler. Lay down a heavy groove and play in a pocket. In one interview Janne called the Black Magus sound a combination of primitive heavy blues rock, classic metal and doom. Listening to "Lodbrok" (probably the heaviest tune on the disc) you hear all those elements woven nicely together.
"Black Hound of Vengeance," "Black Hole," and "Generator" are super bluesy, but really show how Grand Magus can incorporate harmony into a track without making it sound cheesy. Itīs a genuine sound thatīs given even more integrity by the stripped down production. The lyrical themes of black magic, medieval times, and mysticism mix nicely with the dark music. Itīs really a complete package where every element works perfectly together.
This disc will crush just about anything else released in 2002. You have to check this one out my friends.
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