ALBUM REVIEW: Of Grace And Gravity – Merrimack

Since they rose to prominence within the French black metal scene in the mid-90s, Paris’ MERRIMACK have gone on to become arguably one of the best pure black metal acts that the country has produced. Thirty years on from their formation they are still creating some incredibly powerful and intense black metal, with the band going on something of a hot streak from the release of 2012’s The Acausal Mass, and their previous album, 2017’s Omegaphilia, being amongst their very best material. Almost seven years on, they return with their long anticipated sixth record, Of Grace And Gravity, an album that is every bit as visceral as its predecessor whilst drawing from a broader musical pallet, with the result being perhaps the band’s most adventurous work to date.

Sulphurean Synods starts things off with a measured slab of black metal with a few subtle, jarring guitar flourishes, acerbic vocals and brief bursts of chaotic intensity, creating a dark and ferocious sound right off the bat without having to veer towards blistering speeds throughout to achieve the effect, with the more hypnotic sound of the song’s second half being more impressive than a belligerent aural assault would have been. Although it does gradually ease the listener into the album, it isn’t without its more biting moments, lending this a sinister air that makes it so much more engrossing. Sublunar Despondency blends together the more urgent pace and ethereal touches of the opener, making for a much more atmospheric offering, with expansive guitars, harsher vocal deliveries and intricate drums turning this into an incredibly powerful, though still searing, piece of music that explores the band’s dramatic, lighter side in greater depth.

Dead And Distant Clamors pushes towards a stringent and visceral sound that is full to bursting with discordant hooks, frenetic rhythms and bellicose vocals, with soupy basslines carving through the mix and providing a looser, warmer edge that undercuts the decidedly more aggressive sound of everything else. Wounds That Heal, with its slower, more sinister edge, is another great track that does a lot to accentuate the band’s underlying epic qualities, with slicker, melodic leads, tighter rhythms and subtle ambience between some of the weightier passages making this much more compelling, once again throwing in bursts of bestial brilliance to add an air of unpredictability into the mix.

Starving Crowns follows in much the same vein to the previous song, with ponderous, doom-laden guitars and percussive, primal drums building an excellent atmosphere right out of the gate and developing a much more sombre and emotive style that borders on DSBM at points. There is a noticeably more spartan approach to everything, from the musicianship through to the vocals, carving out of distinct niche from earlier offerings whilst still managing to remain cavernous and grandiose, only incorporating the faster, fiercer moments much later in the song.

Under The Aimless Spheres veers in the opposite direction, bursting out of the speakers in a whirlwind of grating hooks, energetic drums and noxious vocals, starting at a blistering pace and rarely reducing the tempo throughout. It feels utterly cacophonous and searing without sacrificing any of the sharpness and precision that works so well on this record, making for an extreme and zealous penultimate statement for this record that is arguably amongst its most caustic. Embalmer’s Wine reverts to the sort of ethereal and crystalline sound that was present on the opener, and serves as another slow-burning but sinister slab of black metal with a slight dissonance and lots of harsh, speed-driven flourishes that help make this feel a lot more frenzied without having to stray too far from the muscular and punchy sound that lies at the heart of the effort. It’s also notable for being entirely instrumental, barring a couple of prolonged, hellish screams in its closing moments, allowing the music to take centre stage and bring this album to a close on a powerful, music-driven note.

Where Omegaphilia was a record that blended together the band’s trademark, angular style with foreboding atmosphere, Of Grace And Gravity feels a lot more reserved at points, with the more biting sections on this record punctuating rather than dominating the album’s core sound, and seeing the over-arching, dramatic qualities of their music come to the fore, along with some incredibly polished melodicism, providing an interesting twist on the belligerent and caustic sound that MERRIMACK are known for. It’s very rare for a band to produce arguably their best and most imaginative work three whole decades deep into their career, and this is further testament to this line-up’s chemistry and skill as musicians. If they continue making albums like this one, MERRIMACK could very well have some impressive years ahead of them, and go on to be regarded as one of the most underrated European black metal acts in the process.

Rating: 8/10

Of Grace And Gravity is out now via Season Of Mist.

Like MERRIMACK on Facebook.