You wouldn’t be all the way wrong to call Grave Lines doom, but you wouldn’t be all the way right either. Identifying as ‘gloom rock,’ is probably fair game for 80 percent of British acts in any genre, but it works well enough for them too on the new single “Carcini” taken from the four-piece’s impending third LP, Communion. The band released their debut, Welcome to Nothing, in 2016 and subsequently played Desertfest London the next Spring before issuing Fed Into the Nihilist Engine in 2018, and while I haven’t heard the upcoming offering yet — it’ll be out July 15 through New Heavy Sounds — its arrival will precede an appearance at September’s Riffolution Festival 2022 (info here), playing alongside the significant likes of Godflesh and friggin’ Slabdragger, Gurt and a ton of others. That’ll be quite a day, and it’s only one of two for the fest.

Anyhoozle, the PR wire brought copious background info and album details, so have at it:

GRAVE LINES ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM ‘COMMUNION’ RELEASED 15TH JULY – NEW HEAVY SOUNDS / LISTEN TO ‘CARCINI’ NOW

Two albums in and London’s Grave Lines, purveyors of ‘heavy gloom’ have already carved a unique niche in the myriad spheres of heavy music. Their first album ‘Welcome To Nothing’ set the tone for their distinct take on doom metal, which was broadened even further with album two ‘Fed Into The Nihilist Engine’. An epic feast of hard ‘n’ heavy riffs coupled with brooding sadness interspersed with thoughtful transcendent moments of introspection.

Never a band to rely solely on trotting out those ‘doom metal’ tropes, the band began to weave in gothic and experimental elements into their music, to delve deeper into the dark shadows of the psyche.

Now with their third album ‘Communion’ Grave Lines continue their exploration into the ugliness of the human condition, at the same time becoming a band that truly defies any pigeonhole.

Continuing to hone and evolve their collective vision and aided by the masterful production of Andy Hawkins at The Nave Studios, ‘Communion’ sees Grave Lines creep further into the various corners of their sound.

In a nutshell ‘Communion’ is a violent descent of bile-soaked intensity spiralling between filth laden swagger, and fragile mournful lament. The album delves into the internal aloneness of existence and the failings of the human connection.

Owing as much to Bauhaus and Killing Joke as it does to Black Sabbath or Neurosis, there are moments of gut wrenching doomed up heaviness and bellowing noise rock, contrasting with ambient gothic passages and a thoughtful melancholy, to a create a powerful new chapter in their ceaseless journey through the gloom. Listen to first single ‘Carcini’ now:

https://gravelinesuk.bandcamp.com/track/carcini

The seven tracks act as distinctly separate representations of the album, each individually mirroring the remoteness of human consciousness.

Opening track ‘Gordian’ doesn’t waste any time, a burst of feedback kicks you straight into a filthy low slung punked up stomp before the band switch mood to drop off into a doom abyss, singer Jake raging at the void. ‘Argyraphaga’ continues the pummelling groove, gradually descending into nihilistic sludge.

In direct contrast the sprawling atmosphere of ‘Lyceanid’ travels through the darkness. Jake’s vocals harnessing the spirits of Scott Walker and Mark Lanegan in equal measure. The rest of the band (on top form throughout) focus the dynamics over eleven enthralling minutes, as the song builds and builds to a towering crescendo before finishing with a plaintive acoustic coda.

This is pure Grave Lines’. An immersive blend of darkness and light.

‘Tachinid’ is a violent palette cleanser, harsh industrial synths astride a hateful droning spoken word sermon. ‘Carcini’ is soaring melancholic doom, with the band at their most melodic whilst still able to crush the listener. ‘Broodsac’, with its circular riffs, is all gothic post punk noise rock meets fuzz fat riffs, and album closer ‘Sinensis’ offers a final delicate, melancholy moment of calm before launching into an industrial charged grind into oblivion.

Grave Lines’ fusion of elements makes them one of the most powerful and mesmerising bands inhabiting the heavy music world at the moment, and with ‘Communion’ they have crafted an album that encapsulates their distinctive dynamic perfectly.

‘COMMUNION’ will be released on July 15th, and comes in deluxe black and white smoke effect vinyl, housed in a full colour single sleeve with download included. Also available on CD and on all digital platforms.

Pre-order now:
https://cargorecordsdirect.co.uk/products/grave-lines-communion
https://gravelinesuk.bandcamp.com/album/communion

Tracklisting:
1. Gordian
2. Argyraphaga
3. Lycaenid
4. Tachinid
5. Carcini
6. Broodsac
7. Sinensis

Grave Lines live:
Jun 04 Brighton Concorde 2 Brighton, UK
Jul 29 Venue 2, 229 Club London, UK
Sep 17 Network Sheffield, UK

Grave Lines are:
Jake Harding, vocals
Stgrn’ Matt, bass
Oliver Irongiant, guitar
Sam Chase, drums.

https://www.facebook.com/gravelinesband/
https://www.instagram.com/grave_lines/
https://gravelinesuk.bandcamp.com/
https://linktr.ee/Grave_Lines

https://www.facebook.com/newheavysounds/
https://newheavysounds.bandcamp.com/
https://www.newheavysounds.com/

Grave Lines, Communion (2022)