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BLACK GRAIL
VIIII EP

Iron Bonehead Productions (2022)
Rating: 8/10

Strap yourself in for a dark ride into the pitch black abyss of Chilean gloom. Black Grail are a Santiago-based band formed back in 2005 and have slowly crept up from the depths of the citadel and into our nightmares with what is most certainly their best release to-date.

Call it black metal with sludgy tones if you will, call it doom-laden, call it whatever you like, but one thing is for sure, this is some utterly primitive, atmospheric and truly sinister metal that lays a thick blanket of blackness over the room.

From the ritualistic chants of opening track ‘Encarcelado y Condenado’ with its ethereal summonings and stark layers, through to the closing chimes of ‘ La Disolución, Consumación de la Ascesis’ – which acts more as a suspenseful horror-cum-dark thriller soundtrack – this five-song EP just echoes with threatening, baleful tones.

‘Reflexiones en Cicuta’ is an ominous, distant and wicked black metal hail boasting grim yet melodious axe work and coated with satanic snarls and unorthodox solos in tandem with percussive blitz, while ‘La Separación, vista como Muerte’ follows suit where again there’s that feeling of encroaching dread and cosmic, ethereal horror as the track just plays out like some otherworldly spook tale instrumental before the lumbering doom of ‘Transmigración del Alma’ comes slithering through the cracks, led by commanding, evil snares and a Tony Iommi-like blend of dramatic chords. Eventually the track transforms into a slick and nefarious black metal thrasher but never releases its grip of the listener’s windpipe.

Black Grail suffocates with its morose structures, forming a pitch-black temple of horror which drags you in and never lets go.

Neil Arnold

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