Premiere: Graveripper – “Seasons Dreaming Death”
Who doesn’t love a good midnight death ritual?
I know I certainly do, and if you’re here reading this, there’s a good chance that you do, too. This is great news for us, because blackened-thrashers Graveripper are inviting us to indulge in our base desires and get a little freaky with the Grim Reaper with the title track for their upcoming album, Seasons Dreaming Death. At the very least, don’t knock it ’til you try it; what’s the worst that could happen? Just listen to what guitarist and frontman Corey Parks has to say about it:
The song is the result of inspiration to write a song in the style of Bloodbath’s “Breeding Death” EP on or around Halloween in 2019. The song has been complete for a while. Bloodbath was one of my first loves in extreme metal, and I frequently revisit Breeding Death. I wrote what I consider to be the 4th song on that release (had I been a part of it, haha). So it’s a place on the album to show our love for that style. So when you listen, picture us being from Sweden with HM-2’s and I am Åkerfeldt haha. Contextually it is about a secret ceremonial death worship rite taking place on the night of Samhain involving a group indulging in physical ecstasy that honors/worships Death itself. So they’re Breeding (for) Death. It’s a good mid-paced heater that adds a different texture to the otherwise breakneck speed of the record.
First off, saying this song is “mid-paced” compared to the rest of the album is nuts, because the majority of this tune is fast as fuck. Its spiraling, cyclical primary motif blazes in an ashen swirl over imperious chords and furious drumming as the vocalist barks out the scene in lurid detail. I particularly like the sections where it cuts to a comfortable half-time groove, as it really allows the totality of the engineering to shine through. I’m not a true production nerd, but I’ll be damned if this doesn’t sound fantastic, especially in the rhythm section; that bass and those toms are just *chef’s kiss.* “Seasons Dreaming Death” is a great fucking time in every sense, and you do yourself a disservice if you don’t partake of the ritual.
Seasons Dreaming Death is out on August 25th via Wise Blood Records. Additionally, Graveripper is hitting the road with fellow labelmates and Toilet friends Bloodletter in the Summer Ov Thrash tour this September, and you should absolutely hit that if you’re able.
(Dates in plaintext below)
9/10 Black Circle – Indianapolis, IN
9/11 Highlands Tap Room – Louisville, KY
9/12 The Cobra – Nashville, TN
9/13 Legends – Cincinnati, OH
9/14 The Spacebar – Columbus, OH
9/15 Westside Bowl – Youngstown, OH
9/16 The Old Miami – Detroit, MI
9/17 The Doom Room – Lafayette, IN
