Review: “This Is The Way” by Gravemass

While as individuals they remain unidentified, the creators of what they describe as “brutal, angry, fast, dark and evil”  music that are Gravemass are long‑time Vancouver Metal stalwarts with prior convictions in bands such as Zimmers Hole, Punch Drunk, 3 Inches of Blood, Revocation, Savannah, Process, The Golers, Subversion and Just Cause to name but a few. Whether that makes the masked intruders some kind of super-group is down you your interpretation but having delivered a blistering performance at Armstrong Metal Fest last year it seems opinion is swaying that way. Produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Tim Creviston (Spiritbox, Misery Signals, No Light Escapes) their debut album “This Is The Way” promises to be a portrait in Blackened Death Metal although whether it will be well received by the Mandalorian creed remains to be seen…

This half an hour of power beings with “Slaves To Pain” and rather than an introduction piece the Gravemass have opted for a tone setting Death Thrash thunderbolt of abrasive mid-tempo chugging riffs and death growled vocals. Hints at influence from bands like Mortician, Frozen Soul and Bolt Thrower rise the the surface with the distinctive 90’s styled sound, a tasteful spoken word and some shriller vocal moments impressing as the band favour pummelling rhythms over and form of soloing. A rain shower becomes a thunder storm as the intensity increases dramatically with title track “This Is The Way“, the gang chanted “1, 2, 3, 4!” something that will go down well in the live arena. Soaked in blasphemous rhetoric that bleeds Black Metal inspirations, the band bring the hammer down with enough force to split more than a few skulls. The rhythmic battery feels like a blunt force trauma as the band refuse to re-invent the wheel, instead opting for something of depraved atmospheres that is both dark and insanely good fun. The Old School sensibilities and aesthetics continue with pace and power in “Horned King“, a classic piece of occult ritual with serious headbang-ability. A few harsh whispers enhance the atmosphere of eternal darkness, the guitar squeals between monster Death Thrash riffs adding a spice that’s nice before the blistering “Harvest of Souls“. A vicious little ditty, it finds the band possessed by the unholy as they seek anarchy with blood lust burning in their veins. The energy of this one continues their perpetual forward motion, through the valley of death to “Spitting Hell” which has some savage shrill death growls that sound like a drill to the skull in an act of trephination. Sinister riffs fly in all directions with consummate ease, the quintet a dark force of nature when it comes to creating tunes to incite mosh pit violence.

A cry for Lucifer to open the gates of hell and welcome them in “Black Bell” smashes the clock in fear with a couple of tasteful gang chant moments as the band once again create something of an occult ritual and dark atmosphere. This one very much feels like it could have been better used to open or close the album, offering a momentary breather before the Thrash leaning “Fallen” drags the discerning listener kicking and screaming back to the mosh pit. As with the album this one is littered with tasteful “Bleigh!” style moments and even has some two-step riff action during the bridge. The indistinguishable cries of the dead, dying and damned accompany the powerful riffs of the opening assault of “Gravemass” before the first verse lyrically takes us into something that sounds like a script from George A. Romero. Another powerhouse that is good old fashioned fun, it makes you wonder just how much ammunition these horsemen of the apocalypse have brought with them. Jackhammer footwork and buzzsaw riffs ignite the flames of “Abandon“, another call for the dead to rise from hell and walk the earth that leaves scorch marks in your ear canals in its wake. Last but by no means least “Poison Temple” speaks of self immolation with bloodcurdling roars and some of the finest riffs that the band have to offer. The verve and swagger of this groove soaked affair makes it arguably one of the albums finest moments and if they can manage to squeeze another five percent more energy out of it live then circle pits will go off like Molotov cocktails… [7.5/10]

Track Listing

1. Slaves To Pain
2. This Is The Way
3. Horned King
4. Harvest of Souls
5. Spitting Hell
6. Black Bell
7. Fallen
8. Gravemass
9. Abandon
10. Poison Temple

“This Is The Way” by Gravemass is out 6th March 2026 via End Game Records