With the releases of their 2010 EPs Scenes From A Lifeless Time (February) and Crimson Angel (June) GRIMBLADE got already enthusiastically welcomed and reviewed. And it seems these Muenster, Germany based guys cannot be stopped by anything. Only three months later they come up with their debut album entitled Trapped In The Dark, which consists of two songs from the most recent EP, all other tracks is brand new material on a pretty high qualitative level. Already for this brimming creativity and musicianship I take my hat off!
And GRIMBLADE does not fall any short of the energy and delight in playing, much the opposite. Listening to them feels like sitting on a volcano shortly before erupting. Generally speaking GRIMBLADE zeroes in on melodic Death Metal paths, the Gothenburg way, and so it does not really wonder that you will mostly hear out bands such as Dark Tranquillity, In Flames or Children Of Bodom respectively.
With the Viking like singing parts the title-track and Never Ending Extermination are surely the highlights on Trapped In The Dark. But I also like the decent female singing in Queen Of Darkness and Crimson Angel. Only the keys are a bit too bombastic.
All in all Trapped In The Dark would have been a genre-defining record if we not have heard this kind of music umpteen times, even if a decade ago. GRIMBLADE is still lacking of an individual and unique touch. Leanings towards their idols are way to omnipresent. And there is still the problem with drums. They are in fact well-programmed and keep a low profile, but they are too sterile. As for an organic sound and a crushing live performance GRIMBLADE urgently need a real drummer.
As for now: a much promising band with huge ambitions and potential. I gonna keep my eyes on them!