Search - Gravetemple :: Holy Down

Minimalism to it's most extreme

Alex A. Fintonis | Bay City, MI United States | 09/05/2007

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Gravetemple is nothing like I though it would be. My ignorance cost me dearly. Let me just break this album down for you. If one can even call this piece an album. First of all it only has one track and that track is 60 minutes long. The first 11 minutes is nothing but a quiet sound of a guitar string being tighten I believe. Then after that you can hear feedback and quiet chanting until about the 45-minute mark. The drums finally kick in at that point, after that the distorted screaming kicks in. That's it ladies and gentlemen, that's this record in a nutshell.



I'm sorry to say that I can't even call this music. It is literary just noise with zero structure. There are however a couple of things going for this piece. When the screaming finally kicks in it's none other than Attila Csihar from Mayhem, and the artwork and cd packaging are impressive. But I'm sorry to say that I can't get into this. I enjoy almost all forms of extreme metal but I just don't see how one can call this piece any form of music. This work is performance art pure and simple. It's recorded live by the way.



The interesting aspect about this recording is it was recorded live in Israel while there was a war going on. The band was urged to not go on stage for their safety but they did anyway. Attila stated well I guess "We will have to bring the war to them". Spoken like a true member of Mayhem. I commend them for that. I am keeping this work in my cd collection for two reasons firstly I'm fan of Mayhem and Attila Csihar and the second being the significance of the time the performance was recorded. Just be warned my fellow metalheads this is not what one thinks. I you are into extremely artsy stuff give it a try. If not than please stay clear away.

"

Great stuff from sunn o))) members

cannibalhippy | happy hap hap | 08/08/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I love it..starts slow and creepy

The picture of Atilla on the sleeve is enough to buy this!

Oh..unlike most sunn o))) stuff(cause really this is just sunn under a different name!Ok greg anderson is not on this...THERE ARE DRUMS!!!I

If you like sunn o))) Run like hell get it..stunning!

If not..go and go with an open mind..if possible high.

And seeing Sunn or grave temple live for the first time..will change your life!

Unless your rel thick skinned and only want to listen to rock songs!

All these cds are work of a genius:stephen O'malley.

First go and die of fear at their gig..then buy everything they ever brought ou!!!

Insanely great

On the Sunn scale..a 4 out of 5"

Live recording by Ambarchi,Csihar and O'malley

Thomas Svendsen | Denmark | 03/05/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"On this 60-minute live recording from Israel Oren Ambarchi, Stephen O'Malley and Attilla Csihar approach the doom/ambient genre with playfulness and experimentation. The result is a sound as dark and massive as Sunn O)))'s 'Black One' although I find the track less structured and more experimentative. What really pleases me about this recording is that it is extremely varied and rich. There is no monotony or dull moments despite its 60-plus minutes duration. It climaxes convincingly in a combination of free-jazz drumming and Black Metal. I find this limited release much more enjoyable than the recent 'Oracle' LP/CD by Sunn O))). Get it while you can!"