Gloomy Grim – The Age Of Aquarius Review

Finland is probably one of the richest countries in terms of precious metal deposits, and one of those lodes comes in the form of Gloomy Grim, whose sixth album The Age Of Aquarius addresses the tyranny of stars, with the vilest of worms to dwell.  However let’s go back a bit and try to explain what The Age of Aquarius is in context to or referenced to on the album. As it’s not Grandads trip to Woodstock or its English equivalent, The Isle of Wight Festival. There’s a deeper meaning implied here.

Now The Piscean Age was the waning astrological era of modern times. It’s over. The much lauded age of Aquarius has begun to settle in and hopefully the fishy claims of whatever was born in those dubious times can go to sleep, with the piscean races.  Spawning in 1995 the band have carried unholy dark matters through the ages, and keeping in the spirit of evil, their new album is an extension of their first intention.

Even better than Daylight Saving Time, Gloomy Grim have devised forty-five minutes of dank darkness to accommodate the age of enlightenment, with some true knowledge and understanding, where even the flames of hell will tremble at the rise of these rhythmic bass lines.   It’s elating to listen to such musical depravity, and it’s musical. The fighting cries of vocalist Agathon are the sound of Heavens’ angels torn asunder. His key work is solemn by its own and a natural force when lifting the guitar riffs higher where its morosity falls apart like broken ice into a frozen sagar.  Symphony and metal can be a hard ore to smelt.

Harsh and nasty riffs blast away that build tension that’s handled like macabre theater throughout the album. Softening only to spite the flamboyance of symphony with contouring riffs that are devilish and haunting. The breaks are abundant but never leave an uninteresting moment in time. However if you’d prefer something a little sweeter for your mental palette; warning: Satan inside.

9/10