Swedish hard rockers Graveyard surprisingly told the world they were hanging it up a year after their well received 2015 release Innocence & Decadence, but within a year after that announcement the whispers of a reunion started to permeate the message boards, and here in 2018 we have the official return of the band with their brand new Nuclear Blast release Peace. Gone is original drummer Axel Sjöberg, bringing the current line-up to this configuration:
Joakim Nilsson - Guitars, Vocals
Jonatan Larocca-Ramm - Guitars, Vocals
Truls Mörck - Bass, vocals
Oskar Bergenheim - Drums
Otherwise the Graveyard formula is much the same, though the band are rocking much harder here on Peace than their previous effort, the '70s bluesy garage rock sensibilities still in place but with a renewed vigor and attitude. Co-lead guitarist Joakim Nilsson is the centerpiece with his emotional, shrilly wail, one part Ian Gillan, one part Robert Plant, and one part Roger Daltrey, leading the charge on the Blue Cheer-meets-Grand Funk Railroad romp of "Cold Love" and the energetic "It Ain't Over Yet", while his laid back bluesy drawl on "See the Day" brings together a perfect marriage of blues and atmospheric rock. Propulsive hard rock riffing takes "Please Don't" to almost mid '70s Black Sabbath realms, while both "The Fox" and "Walk On" have an almost folky edge to go along with the blues & heavy rock leanings, images of Led Zeppelin and Jethro Tull floating through the arrangements. Nillson dips into his Jim Morrison bag of tricks on the spooky "Del Manic", and both he and Larocca-Ramm crank up the fuzz for the raging headbanger "A Sign of Peace". The longest track on the album is the near 7-minute closer "Low (I Wouldn’t Mind)", another atmospheric bluesy rocker that has a bit of a Deep Purple feel thanks to Nillson's jagged, soaring pipes, savage guitar licks, and a touch of Hammond organ.
Peace is one of those albums that gets better with each listen, and could arguably be Graveyard's strongest album to date. Though much of their early doom influences seem to have faded over the years, Graveyard continue to deliver sensational '70s styled bluesy hard rock, not at all missing a beat after their short time away. Welcome back guys, you've just released one of 2018's highlights!
See more about this release on our recent YouTube show!
Track Listing
1. It Ain’t Over Yet
2. Cold Love
3. See the Day
4. Please Don’t
5. The Fox
6. Walk On
7. Del Manic
8. Bird of Paradise
9. A Sign of Peace
10. Low (I Wouldn’t Mind)
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