Western Australian band Grave Forsaken returns with their fifth album Reap What You Sow. Released through Soundmass, the band gives us another great thrash album to sink our teeth into. The album is made of nine great tracks. “Reap What You Sow” kicks off the album. It begins with a single violin playing a haunting tune for about 25 seconds before the band kicks into high gear. Just like previous albums, the guitar work is fast and furious and the gang vocals are well done. One of the things I really like about this song is that it just doesn’t let up at all – it keeps you thrashing the whole way. “End of Days” follows and is a bit slower and has some crunchy guitars. The guitar solo in the song is excellent – not being overly fancy while not being some simple riffage. “Kill Your Idols” is next and it keep the intensity going. I really like the lyrics for this song which remind me a bit of Tourniquet’s “Vanishing Lessons”: “The latest gadget, that brand new toy/A collection of objects which don’t do a thing/Whatever we want, it comes at a cost/Nothing’s forever except what matters most”. Up next is “Silent Screams” which isn’t a cover of the song by Rez with the same title. It’s another thrashing mosh-worthy tune. It deals with a person’s whose life has become stagnant and frustating but that they have hope in Christ. “Victory or Death” is another great metal anthem from the band -“We fight to the end, never giving in/We are the victors, it’s victory or death”. You can definitely see this being played live with the crowd screaming along with the band. “Ghost Light” is another ‘mosher’ of a tune. It also has a bit of groove to it as well, giving the song a nice variety to it. It reminds me a bit of some old Martyr/Betrayal songs. “Coming Home” is a “love song” to God from a repentant person – “I’ve been straying away from the things that I hold and now it’s time/To reconnect with my life, to engage my faith/Lord I’m sorry that I ever walked away from you/I am here to say this time it’s true”. I like the use of growling vocals on the bridge midway through the song, very well executed. “Situation Mess” relates the trouble of greed that we as a society have created and perpetuate on ourselves. The writer calls us to look to God instead of chasing after the almighty dollar. “Master of the World” closes out the album in style – more fast drumming and great riffs. The song reminds us that God is constant throughout all of life’s troubles and will always be there and is our one true hope. And the album closes out with the same violin section that started the album.
Grave Forsaken has delivered another great thrash album and they seem to get better with each release. This is definitely an album worth picking up!
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Reviewed by: Jeffdls
Sampler: Grave Forsaken: Reap What You Sow
