Another grimly cool feature of this band is the graphical artistic side, as all the releases sofar are adorned by the bleak illustrations by "Black Ink Warlock" Justin Bartlett. Gravetemple started out back in 2006, more or less at the same time when the other SunnO))) offspring Burial Chamber Trio started. Gravetemple’s double LP Ambient/Ruin is about to be released via Ideologic Organ/Editions Mego in late April 2013, more or less in connection with Gravetemple’s European spring tour and the gig at the Roadburn festival. As mentioned above, Gravetemple’s production has always been deeply based on improvisation and especially live-oriented. In particular the 2007 debut full-length The Holy Down and the 2009 Le Vampire de Paris album, were recorded live and have the structure of long single-track slowly building up sounds, effects and atmospheres to paroxism in a progressive way. The Ambient / Ruin double LP is based on the limited edition 2008 demo CD, which had a different, let’s say “sectorial” structure as it comprised six separate tracks, that now are gathered into four parts (side A, B, C and D) distributed onto the two LPs. The Ambient / Ruin tracks are a mixture of live and studio recordings done all over the world (Europe, Japan, Australia) back in 2007-2008. In spite of this “fragmental” nature, the combination of these recordings is very charming and is well worth being listened to as a whole in order to enjoy the sonic experience.
There are several reasons for enjoyment of this release in particular.
The first reason is the involvement of a fourth member in the line-up, Matt “Skitz” Sanders, an Australian black-death metal drummer known for his militancy in Destroyer 666, Cemetery Urn, Sadistik Execution, etc.. Surprising, eh …Further reasons come from the fact that in Ambient/Ruin the variety of sounds employed seems to be greater than in the other releases, especially in terms of percussions and electronics (by Oren Ambarchi) and for the introduction of natural, field samples (by Attila). And also Attila's vocals display an amazing range of tones here. Probably it is the original structure in separate songs that helps in enhancing variety and, in particular, in highlighting contrasts. Contrasts here are made of a variety of solutions which are striking different. The band may employ a sudden, sharp interruption of the sound, like in part A. Or else they introduce quiet natural sounds (birds singing, dog barking, water) which end up seeming so unnatural in the general context of the extremely dark, gruesome and heavy music to come. What I enjoyed as utmost and very original contrast is in the quite “metallic” side C, where a relentless death/thrashy drumming pattern, not completely in the background, is unnaturally paired totally and crazily unrelated to Attila's torture, hallucinatory chanting and the almost static stream of drone noise unfolding at higher volume. That was like being under the effect of a strong drug, being aware and scared of it and not controlling it ... That, for me, is an amazing use of contrast. Hence these contrasts are remarkably different from one another, and yet similar, because they sort of tell about how things can change sharply or be out of control, can be different behind a surface, the double face of reality, something like schizophrenia, or a bipolar way of looking at reality. This is at least the way I felt the Ambient/Ruin experience. But you can read more about this album and Gravetemple in general in the interview to Steven O’Malley (here).
Gravetemple will be playing in the Main Stage hall at the Roadburn Festival on friday April 18th 2013. The event was worth making a beautiful poster by artist Costin Chioreanu.
If you are there in Tilburg, you know what to do …
Words: Marilena Moroni
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Gravetemple - Ambient Ruin Double LP
Stephen O'Malley's Official Website
Gravetemple | Soundboard