Not a heck of a lot of metal coming out of Missouri these days, but DEGRAVE is a very potent exception. I like these guys a lot! There’s a real grittiness and rawness to what they dish up on Metalithic that sounds pretty refreshing. When the final feedback of ‘Death Is…’ came to an end, I immediately wanted to start over with ‘Usurper Of Flame’ once more. That doesn’t happen too often in Mality’s world these days!
What’s really cool about DEGRAVE is that they don’t really resemble any other band…also a rare thing. Sure, the press compares them to ANTHRAX, PANTERA, OVERKILL, etc., but they don’t actually clone those bands, yet still appeal to their fans. Their music is not quite thrash but is a bit more muscular and raw than traditional metal. There’s something about the riffing here that really pulls you in. First track ‘Usurper Of Flame’ has a slow burning build until hitting a real hot bitch of a riff at around 1:30. The song burns through some rootsy soloing until building to a powerful climax. Clyde Daniels vocals are abrasive but not growling…a little bit like Tony from MUNICIPAL WASTE in style.
The songs are just solid heavy metal. ‘Sing The Body Electric’ brings a thrashier energy to the fore but the riffing is again unique. ‘Every Fucking Day’ could be described as groove metal of the catchiest kind. I like the way Cliff Curtis’ deceptively active bass work drives most of the songs here. Every song has got something to recommend it, even the bass-driven interlude ‘Ignis Accendere’. The slow grind of ‘Burn Up The Sky’ is like prime SABBATH running into vintage TED NUGENT, especially with the bluesy solos.
This is DEGRAVE’s fourth album?! Kinda hard to believe I haven’t heard of them before. If this record would have come out in ’86 or ’87, we’d all know who these guys are. Alas, it is 2025; grab hold of Metalithic for a shot of the real stuff.
Review By: Dr. Abner Mality
DEGRAVE
Metalithic
Shredhead Records