GRIMA – Nightside
GRIMA – Nightside
Napalm Records
Release Date: 28/02/2025
Review by Oli Gonzalez
8.5/10
Napalm Records are no strangers to the more extreme and niche outer edges of the Metal genres. A quick internet search will unveil an enviable and stacked roster that meet this definition, featuring the likes of Ahab, Tiamat, 1914, and many more. Many more including GRIMA. Summoned from the icy reaches of the Siberian barren primeval frost, this Black Metal act have forged a fierce reputation for their live performances and formidable stage presence over the past decade. One only needs to view their live ‘Red Forest Ritual’ video via the power of YouTube to see why. They return to central Europe this spring to infect the land with this live ritual, but before then, they will release their 6th studio full-legth, “Nightside” offering a sample of their Atmospheric Black Metal brand. This seems like everything I look for in an album, hence my excitement. Let’s get into it…
Melancholic, brooding, almost ritualistic in its approach; and this is only the instrumental opening track! The Russian accordion and other traditional instruments capture that austere eastern essence that is as mysterious as it is unsettling (and a constant throughout the album). The atmosphere is set.
From the outset, GRIMA are here to unleash a slow and merciless bludgeoning attack, driven by crushing distorted guitars and overdriven riffs. Immediately, you know this is going to be different from the rest of the Black Metal offerings at present. Producer Vladimir Lethenin has done his homework with the band and leveraged the true capability of each guitar to produce some rather impressive tones. Grima sometimes play with 3 guitars and as fierce as this attack is, it never feels overwhelming or overpowering the rest of the mix. The hypnotic groove of the bass and drums locked in unholy unison is still very much salient, and as crucial to the overall sound as the aforementioned guitars.
Vilhelm is consistently demonic behind the microphone, conjuring up the image of a beast awakening from an eternal slumber in the murky depths of the Russian woodlands. Though for all the ear-piercing shrieks and thunderous growls, sadly this is at a cost to the clarity of the lyrics. The scope for lyrical narratives and lore of the Siberian forest is as vast as the wilderness itself. However it’s hard to become invested in any meaningful way without this necessary clarity.
Maybe lyrics aren’t your thing. Maybe nihilistic soundscapes and atmospheric landscapes are what do it for you. If this is the case, GRIMA have you covered, especially that eerie hair-raising outro to ‘Flight Of The Silverstorm,’ with the piano providing the haunting undertone.
So, in a world of Atmospheric Black Metal, what exactly makes GRIMA unique? Some bands resort to the tired cliche of endless blast beats and copy and paste tremolo picked guitar riffs. Not GRIMA. They adopt a more methodical and sinister attack on the senses, where every note that forms each crucial passage in the sequence is as meaningful and as important as the last. This implies a deeper understanding of human psychology, in conjunction with a revival of the art of album composition and songwriting. And this is a composition technique that will become a new standard for others to measure themselves against. Though many will try and fail to replicate this unique offering and gift to the Black Metal world.
TRACKLISTING:
01. Intro (Cult)
02. Beyond the Dark Horizon
03. Flight of the Silver Storm
04. Skull Gatherers
05. Impending Death Premonition
06. The Nightside
07. Where We Are Lost
08. Curse of the Void
09. Mist and Fog
10. Outro (Memories of a Forgotten Home)
LINKS:
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