deathlike silence saturday night evil

Released: 16 March 2009 Label: Spinefarm UK

Finnish bands are rather good at inventing genres of metal. HIM invented Love Metal, Turisas rules the roost in Battle Metal circles, and Brother Firetribe is the true leader of the Tennis Metal scene. The latest genre is the rather bemusing Gravedigger Metal from Turku’s Deathlike Silence.

Lyrically Gravedigger Metal treats you to stories of death and destruction, burials, rotting or burning flesh, and evil murderers spilling blood. Musically it’s the romantic melancholic heavy rock with metal guitars and keyboards that the Finns are so renowned for.

Opening track Trapped in the Night is nothing special, your average female fronted Finnish metal song, and rather unmemorable; rather a disappointment for an opening track. But then the album livens up with the catchier and furiously paced And You Cry. The album is rather diverse in tempo, and Who’s Gonna Bury Me is a slower more melodic track and rather romantic, showing of Ms. Maya’s voice beautifully in the chorus. Dagon has some gruff male backing vocal chanting in the background and is more aggressive.

Troops of Armageddon goes a bit 80s rock with lyrics telling of legions of devils being unleashed on mankind, destroying us all. And talking of the 80s, there’s a wonderful and unique reworking of Mike Oldfield’s Moonlight Shadow, which gets a stunning Scandi metal makeover.

Vocalist Ms. Maya deserves a special mention for her performance. Strong and deep and an obviously natural singer, capable of soaring to higher places, her voice is one of the bands strengths and is very distinctive due to its deepness and power.

Bonus track Six Feet Under the Ground is a classic hit single, from the debut album Vigor Mortis with a memorable and sing-a-long chorus that I defy anyone not to nod along to and be singing hours later. Gravediggers go deeper…

Somehow Deathlike Silence balances the dark lyrics and imagery about death with an amazing heavy melodic and romantic Scandinavian Goth rock, and a healthy dose of Finnish humour, without the cheesy over the top antics of fellow countrymen Lordi. The result is a wonderful album that is a complete package of strong vocals, metal guitars and soaring symphonic keyboards that rivals Nightwish and many other female fronted metal bands.

by Lynn Wyeth