Originally written by Jordan Campbell
Gravehill are one of those beer-can-crushing, fake-blood-gushing, we’re-so-metal-it’s-absurd type of bands. Additionally, they also happen to sound alot like God Dethroned, though that’s probably purely accidental. Regardless, after researching their personnel (among their ranks: BodyBagBob, J. Corpsemolestor, and Zyklon-A) and listening to a single, all-too-familiar track, I was prepared to dismiss Gravehill as unimaginative, amateurish, and juvenile.
However, patience is a virtue. After letting a few more tracks run their course, Gravehill had established themselves as…well, unimaginative, amateurish, and juvenile, but also moderately enjoyable. A slight blackthrash vibe is present, and when mixed with their old-school DM approach, the result can be infectious. The drunk-mosh fury of “Decibel Ritual” is undeniably cool, with Mike Abominator providing some wicked cackling and posturing. “Bloodsoaked” continues in their rumbly, Asphyx-iated terrorvein, but by the latter half of the track, some cracks begin to show. The band’s ham-fisted, rock-god soloing doesn’t really fit their filth, and the lyrics (especially on “Pissing on Your Grave”) are often terrible. I’m not expecting legendary, thought-provoking shit here–the album is calledRites of the Pentagram, for fucksakes–but a bit of creativity shouldn’t be too much to ask for.
Major flaws aside, this is a decent little hodgepodge of campy extremity. Essentially, it’s a goofier, tackier version of Hod‘s Serpent from earlier this year. If you have an undying urge to pour some blood in your sandbox and get really, really dumb for 38 minutes, Rites of the Pentagram is certainly one option of many.
