This brand new EP from Swedish post-black metal act does just that, it fuses doomy, bleak post rock with dark, melancholic black metal. Comprised of just two men, Perditor (vocals, all stringed instruments), and J. Hallbäck (drums), Grift come across as rather simplistic and to the point; there's no haunting atmosphere, folk elements, or symphonic keyboard arrangements. "Bortgång" features ominous, droning post rock styled riffing coupled with harsh, agonized vocal rasps, and both "Den fångne" and " Förtappelsens folk" feature perhaps the EPs most uptempo arrangements, though they are a far cry from what you would normally hear on most Scandinavian black metal releases. Rapid fire tremolo picked guitar riffs and blast beats? Nope, not really Grift's thing for the most part, though there are some fleeting moments here and there. Instead, there is a doomier vibe throughout, as the band go more for textures rather than relentless violence & speed.
Though I have to give credit to Grift for doing something a little against the grain, at times I'm finding that these songs don't quite have enough to hook you in, and the arrangements & vocals tend to be a little monotonous at times. Perhaps a few instrumental passages (acoustic guitar or keyboards maybe?) dropped in on occasion or some atmospheric elements might have elevated this one just a tad? Regardless it's still a decent EP of black metal done slightly different.
Track Listing
01. Dödens dåd
02. Förtappelsens folk
03. Den fångne
04. Bortgång