Review: “Gravedigger” by Deathsquad

After announcing their arrival on the Beatdown scene with their nine track debut album “Stay One” in the summer of 2018, Kazan Russian wrecking ball Deathsquad have made a habit of dropping EPs with a single new track that features a guest as well as a pair of covers. In April they dropped “Disaster” which features a ripper of a cover of “Tear It Down” by Hatebreed so to find the band returning after four months with a fresh offering is something of a surprise but given the Global situation and inability to tour, dropping new releases makes sense and will only bolster their live set list when they are able to return to the stage.

Beatdown with a healthy dose of Downtempo groove is what Deathsquad brought to the table the last time out and “Gravedigger” is no different. The title track is a brutal knuckleduster punch in the face, with a huge drum sound that means the feel every crash cymbal hit, full force. The riffs are instant moshpit generating ones with plenty of squeal and drive. The arty spoken word mid track is as dark as they come but this band are all about piling up killer breakdowns and perfect executed tempo shifts to keep two steppers around the Globe on their toes. Kevin Petersen of Acranius adds the Slam level vocal moment that plunges the cut into the black depths and it’s an instant win from start to finish. “Brick In Yo Face” takes Stitches hip-hop cut and turns it into a bounce heavy, rap screamed, adrenaline rush that is reminiscent of takes that the likes of Throwdown did for the “Too Legit For The Pit” compilation in the early 2000s. “Here Comes The Pain” by Slayer is perhaps a more obvious choice, the Metal staple turned into a heavy Hardcore cut with a neat re-working of the riffs, while tipping the hat to Kerry King with a solo that mimics his guitar tone perfectly. The result is a crushing rendition that they make their own and that’s exactly what we look for in a cover. Remixes tend to be a bit hit and mix, but this Bothmercy Remix of “STFU” works well as it keeps the guitars in place as a background instrument while making the cut beat heavy. All in all, a solid addition to the Deathsquad catalog [7.5/10]

Track listing

1. Gravedigger (ft. Kevin Petersen of Acranius)
2. Brick In Yo Face (Stitches cover)
3. Here Comes The Pain (Slayer cover)
4. STFU (Bothmercy Remix)

“Gravedigger” by Deathsquad is out now via Bloody Hands Records and is available over at bandcamp.