Grimlord - Dolce Vita Sath-an As

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With a name like Grimlord, I was fully expecting a black metal band. I pictured fuzzed out guitars, drums that sounded like they were recorded in an echo chamber, constant blast beats, and screeching, evil sounding vocals. I was very wrong. Most of the album is quick, tight, and aggressive. There is a synth element craftily blended throughout the album. If there is one major downfall on this record it is that the vocals are absolutely terrible. Picture a less than talented Mike Patton with a thick Polish accent (actually, I'm pretty sure he's singing in Polish at least part of the time). Luckily, he only sings on the first three songs and it's really not enough to ruin them. The rest of the tracks are fully instrumental and totally awesome.

Here, let me elaborate...With the start of the opening track, Dolce Vita Sath An As, I thought my initial fears were going to be confirmed. It has a really corny synth intro that could be played over the PA at a Dungeons and Dragons convention. But after a mere 19 seconds, you're hit full force with an onslaught of well calculated, intense drumming and thrashing riffage mixed with a hint of ambient keyboard that truly adds a kind of epic mystique to the song. And the production is immaculate. Comprehendable guitar solos that are not overly simplified, dynamic chord changes, the whole bit. There's even an acoustic guitar in the mix. This record really took me by surprise once I got through the very beginning.The third track is called Oh My King and it opens with the singer saying those very words but with his thick accent, it sounds like he's saying “Oh, my kink”. Pretty funny. This is the last number that he sings on and while I definitely hear some extremely broken English, I think a good amount of the lyrics are Polish. It doesn't matter, though, because the music is amazing. A lot of that nicely blended synth magic, intense drumming, dynamic, yet accessible guitar lunacy, acoustic instruments, you name it. Thankfully, the singing stops for the rest of the record starting with the fourth track, Shade of Wrath Angels, an amazingly tight and epic thrasher with what sounds like a little Emperor influence. I was thrown off a little when they throw in a note by note piano solo that comes off very weak, but once that's over, the song rips the rest of the way through with a well crafted guitar solo and slick little bass line backed with the steady rat-a-tat of the drums.After this, the album gets a little weird. The fifth track is called Ground Zero and it's about exactly what just about any American might think it's about. I thought it odd that a band from Poland would write a song about this, but then again I probably shouldn't have since it was a pretty big deal that became quite a global issue. But I digress; if you wanted to read about politics and world history, you'd be on CNN.com or something. The song is more of the same amazing and dynamic music, but they change it up by adding slightly altered sound bites from the news, some of which are distinctly George W. Bush. I guess everybody knows he's a dick. A lot of really nice harmonic leads and some really great drumming make this a great standout track.

There's one more thrashy number called Dissolution of Eternity, then the last three songs could best be described as instrumental ballads. The music is predominantly acoustic from then on, barring the last song which sounds like it could have been written for the sole purpose of closing the album. Mid tempo and very epic in a “vikings galloping into the sunset” sort of way, which is very awesome way to end a very impressive album. If you're in to epic metal, pick this one up and revel in Grimlord's musical chops. Just do your best to ignore the vocals.

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