The Grand Mal Stream The Grand Mal II in Full; Out Friday
Posted in audiObelisk, Reviews on November 2nd, 2022 by JJ Koczan
Oxford heavy rockers The Grand Mal issue their second album, The Grand Mal II — or simply II, since you’ll be on friendly terms with it soon enough — on Nov. 4 through APF Records. The reshuffling of personnel from other bands, which actually took place before the pandemic hit, brings together drummer Elliot Cole and guitarist Ryan Cole (both also of Wall and Desert Storm) and Möther Cörona‘s vocalist Dave-O, bassist Rob Glenn, and for this record, guitarist Lee Cressey as well, rounding out a desert-style double-guitar five-piece cramming 12 songs into 36 minutes that still give a sense of composition along with energy both stage-born and stage-ready.
The obvious influences at play are Cali desert. Following the synthy-feedbacky-thudding intro “Another Replicant,” “Petit Mal” takes off like Oliveri-penned Queens of the Stone Age, and a Lullabies to Paralyze-ish vocal melody and acoustic guitar — almost like a Mark Lanegan tribute — plays out in the later interlude “Lost in Time” as well, but amid the Kyuss-ism of “I Live for Today” and the Dave-O‘s calling to mind mellowed-out John Garcia circa Hermano in “Shallow” and “Seas of Glory,” the latter with a riff that feels particularly Orange Goblin‘ed, coming out of the handclap guitar/drone raga of “The Lingering” (the record’s by no means all desert, aesthetically), but whether it’s the fuzz shove of “Shallow” or the funky stoner strut of “Rule My Soul,” done faster in “Hellbound Blues,” there’s a strong current of Dutch heavy rockers Astrosoniq.
I don’t think that’s a direct influence — it’s certainly not impossible — but it is kind of where The Grand Mal end up. Like their preceding 2019 self-titled debut (discussed here), II is a deceptively varied listen. “Another Replicant” hints toward some of the reach that will follow, but the hooks across side A in “Petit Mal,” “Shallow,” “I Live for Today,” “Rule My Soul” and “Smash the Grave” have a grounding effect even as they space out with sundry swirls, tempo shifts, and other quirky odds and ends. Some lap steel guitar
before the falsetto finish in “Rule My Soul.” The thicker roll of “Shallow” that still has room for tambourine to dance. On and on, the more one listens, the more The Grand Mal‘s depth of craft shows itself, and that’s very much in an Astrosoniq spirit, experimenting on a foundation of strongly composed heavy rock and roll inspired by ’90s and ’00s forerunners of the style that’s not afraid to bring something of its own to the mix, or to have a good time. There are far worse bands one could happen into sounding like; for example, most.
If one considers vinyl structure, then “Lost in Time” (found you right around 2005) is an intro for side B, which branches out in alternating more straightforward pieces with interludes, such that the rush of “Hellbound Blues” that resolves in the nodder chug of the song’s second half is complemented by the ’60s folk-psych of “The Lingering,” loops and samples courtesy of producer Jimmy Hetherington adding to the laid back ceremonial vibe, from which “Seas of Glory” picks up like it was Made in Oss with the fuzzy lead tucked into the finish to prove it. The back-and-forth flow, a purposeful shift from where The Grand Mal were on side A, is maintained as the penultimate guitar-led instrumental piece “Empire of Vultures” leads into capper “Bloodmoon,” which ties it all together in an electric-backed acoustic-up-front epilogue, creatively percussed and a final showcase of breadth that stands as analog for II ideologically — that is, it emphasizes the adventure that’s just taken place, rather than summarizes the sound, which would likely take more than its three and a half minutes anyhow.
The growth from the first record is likewise palpable here, and while The Grand Mal aren’t necessarily the first act to come along and make something of their own from their component influences, they do so with a marked attention to presentation and toward making each track hit with an impact of its own while feeding the overarching flow of the record as well. It’s classic heavy methodology, but as in the best case scenarios, they bring something of their own to it, too. More here than the first record, and probably more next time too. That’s how this shit works, ideally. The Grand Mal II lives up to that ideal and establishes the band as formidable songwriters as well as a group of dudes who clearly have their heads on straight when it comes to knowing what they want to sound like.
Most of all, it’s a rocker, so get to rockin’. PR wire info follows the album stream on the player below.
Please enjoy:
The Grand Mal are essentially Oxford royalty. A coming together of five of the city’s favourite sons, in the form of Desert Storm’s twin brothers Ryan (guitar) and Elliot Cole (drums), as well as Möther Cörona’s Rob Glenn (bass), Lee Cressey (guitar) and Dave-O (vocals), this is a band you should definitely already be interested in from that fact alone.
Formed in 2015 and having already honed their chops in their other bands, it was always a no brainer that they should find a place at APF Records given their individual pedigrees; so after hearing their tracks put to record, the band signed to APF in 2018.
Their self-titled debut, October 2019’s The Grand Mal [APF021], leant into grunge, whilst maintaining elements of the sludge, southern and stoner that have become staples of Desert Storm and Mother Corona’s output. Following the album’s release The Grand Mal would play live all over the UK, both on a 10-date headline tour and as support to Conjurer, Evil Scarecrow, Sergeant Thunderhoof, Tuskar, Dead Lettuce, The Brothers Keg, Alunah, Desert Storm, Limb, and many others.
Tracklisting:
1. Another Replicant
2. Petit Mal
3. Shallow
4. I Live For Today
5. Rule My Soul
6. Smash The Grave
7. Lost In Time
8. Hellbound Blues
9. The Lingering
10. Seas of Glory
11. Empire of Vultures
12. Bloodmoon
In support of the album release The Grand Mal will be performing at:
04.11.22 | UK | Oxford | Rabidfest w/ Discharge & Desert Storm
19.11.22 | UK | Stafford | Red Rum
10.12.22 | UK | London | The Devonshire Arms
12.02.22 | UK | Cardiff | The Moon
13.01.23 | UK | London | Helgi’s
14.01.23 | UK | Rotherham | The Hive
15.01.23 | UK | Nottingham | Tap n Tumblr
03.03.23 | UK | Bournemouth | The Bear Cave
Recorded and mixed at Shonk Studios January to July 2021 by Jimmy Hetherington. Mastered by Jimmy Hetherington at Warehouse Studios August 2022. Art layout by Dominic Sohor.
The Grand Mal is:
Dave-O – vocals, tambourine, keys
Ryan Cole – guitars, acoustic guitar on Lost In Time
Elliot Cole – drums, percussion
Rob Glen – bass
Lee Cressey – guitars, acoustic guitar on Bloodmoon
Jimmy Hetherington – additional lapsteel on Rule My Soul; handclaps, loops and samples on The Lingering; mellotron on Lost in Time, guitar on Bloodmoon. Additional backing vocals by Ryan Cole and Lee Cressey.
