One listen to the self-titled debut from Sweden's Graveyard and you swear that this thing was recorded in 1971. Psychedelic, often times bluesy yet heavy guitar riffs, enchanting atmosphere, swirling drum patterns, and hazy vocals, all permeate this wildly seductive hard rock album. Think Cream, Black Sabbath, Blue Cheer, The Doors, Pentagram, Grand Funk Railroad, or newer acts like Witchcraft, Gentleman's Pistols, and Danzig. Produced by Don Ahlsterberg, who did a fantastic job of really honing in on a classic vibe here, Graveyard just drips with psychedelic menace from start to finish, and everything from the guitar riffs to the vocals is so retro 70's that you gotta love it. Hard to pick highlight tracks here as all of them are enjoyable in their own right, but the Jim Morrison meets Ozzy bluesy strut of "Right Is Wrong", the haunting doom of "Satan's Finest", "Evil Ways" (featuring some wicked wah-wah guitar solos), and "Blue Soul", or the out-and-out stunning hard rock of "Thin Line", "Submarine Blues", and "Lost in Confusion" all warrant your immediate attention.
Word has it that these guys might be coming to North American shores sometime in the near future, so if you dig 70's hard rock with a doomy, psychedelic, and bluesy flavor, absolutely find a copy of this Transubstans Records/Record Heaven release and get ready for their arrival.
Track Listing
1 Evil Ways
2 Thin Line
3 Lost in Confusion
4 Don't Take Us For Fools
5 Blue Soul
6 Submarine Blues
7 As the Years Pass By, the Hours Bend
8 Right Is Wrong
9 Satan's Finest