Emerging from the depths of the Canadian West Coast metal scene, GraveMass is set to redefine extreme death metal and black metal with their fierce and unrelenting sound.
The first time I saw Griffin Taylor on stage was with his dad back in 2017, on tour with Stone Sour, I knew instantly he would follow in his father's footsteps one day. Griffin had energy soaring through him and it is obviously in his blood to be a front-man on stage.
Fast forward a few years, with the help of a life-long friend, Simon Crahan, they formed Vended in Crahan's basement. For Slipknot fans, that last name should look familiar as that is Shawn “Clown” Crahan’s son. With both having fathers in the same band, Griffin and Simon spent a lot of time together growing up and learning together what it takes to write and perform their art. With the addition of Jeremiah Pugh on bass guitar, Cole Espeland on guitar and Conner Grodzicki on rhythm guitar, Vended was formed in 2018.
If you have not heard a song by them yet, you may be asking yourself if they sound similar to Slipknot? Well, with having Taylor as the voice of Vended, one can only assume you might hear parts of Slipknot from time to time. Then you also have Crahan on drums, who is also an important part to the sound of Vended, that also grew up around Slipknot. I will admit the first few times of listening to this album, I found myself comparing it to Slipknot. Then I had to stop comparing and start taking-in what I was listening to, and this album began to stand on its own. I do not get too excited about some of the new music that is coming out today, but I am truly excited for Vended and I can’t wait to see them start their own world domination.
The release of their first EP What Is It/Kill Itcame out in 2021. The past couple of years, they have released a few digital singles. September 20th, 2024, the world will get to hear their first full-length self-titled album. Vended picks up right where What Is It/Kill Itleft off. The intro gives off a very unsettling feeling which flows perfectly with 'Paint The Skin.' This is a call out to all their fans as Taylor belts out “We will not go quietly, welcome to our show” prior to the chorus. The chorus then tells the listener to “paint the skinbecause all we are is strange,” to make us feel like we are a part of their family. The music is non-stop brutality from the get go, and also showcases how talented each individual is in this band.
Vended is pure intensity at its finest. The production is great because it doesn’t take away the raw sounding energy from the band. I was telling a friend that I love how raw this album sounds compared to a lot of other rock/metal albums that are getting produced today. The raw energy is pouring out of the music and vocals, and that is something lacking in today’s music. Crahan just shines when he is behind the kit. He showcases his talent in each and every song. Vended has released four tracks off this album 'Serenity,' 'The Far Side,' 'Am I The Only One,' and 'Nihilism.' If you've enjoyed what you have heard so far, then the rest of the album will not disappoint. I am hearing the same song structure in most of the songs through the album until track 10, 'Where The Honesty Lies.' Each of those songs is heavy, aggressive, fast, and melodic. Surprisingly, just when you would expect a guitar solo, the song shifts to a breakdown or a mid-tempo pace, and then right back to the previous list. At the end of a few of the tracks you will get to hear just how terrific Taylor's horrific, screaming vocals are. 'Where The Honesty Lies' threw me for a loop because mid-way through the song, they went into a breakdown and then a guitar solo breaks out of nowhere. Once I heard that, I only wished more songs had solos in them.
The album comes to a close with 'Downfall,' which is a very fast, short song that includes a drum solo instead of a guitar solo. The last track, 'As We Know It,' sends us off with an eerie vibe and the line "welcome to the end of the world as we know it." Such a great ending for an awesome debut album.
Rating: 8/10 Released By: Independant Release Date: September 20th 2024 FFO: Whitechapel, Brand Of Sacrifice, Left To Suffer, Slaughter To Prevail
Written by Dan Huisenga
Track List
1. Intro 2. Paint The Skin 3. The Far Side 4. Am I The Only One 5. Going Up 6. Nihilism 7. Pitiful 8. Serentiy 9. Disparager 10. Where The Honesty Lies 11. Ones' 12. Downfall 13. As We Know It
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