Gravehill- When All Roads Lead To Hell

"IF YOU WANT BLOOD, YOU GOT IT!!!"

Gravehill is a thrashy death metal band from California. Far from new to the scene they released their first EP way back in 2001. They broke up shortly after and didn't reform until 2007. This is their second full-length and fans of the first will not be let down. Prepare yourself for just under fifty minutes of unrelenting blasphemy. It is highly recommended to crank this at a high enough volume that the booming from your speakers will knock the crosses on your neighbors wall upside down.

When All Roads Lead To Hell begins with all cylinders firing and continues that way until it is over. Nothing fancy here just straight up, filthy, aggressive metal. On the occasion that the band does slow down the results are devastating. The slow epic sections of "Extinction" demolish everything within a fifty mile radius. Towards the second half of the album the listeners gets to hear the near "death n' roll" style that is brought forth quite a bit on this record. Aside from this there are a few heavy metal anthems spread throughout the album, and whether done on purpose or not almost everything featured on the record is ridiculously catchy.

The album is packed with killer riffs that tear you limb from limb. The tone used here is very fairly standard for the style. Just enough distortion to pack a punch and a decent deep end. The solos melt face just as expected and fit every song they are put into perfectly. The vocals on When All Roads Lead To Hell work well. Though the music is more thrashy than anything else Abominator belts out some shrieks and croaks that would seem more fitting on a black metal album. The use of vocal layering on the album shows that this will prove to be great live material (with chanting galore).

The only complaint some may have about the album is that Gravehill rarely leave their comfort zone. Honestly playing the style they play whether this is really necessary or not is all up to the listener. Gravehill have their sound and they have their sound mastered and it is clear that you won't be hearing them playing any power ballads anytime soon.

Overall if you liked the band's first full-length plan on having a good time with this one. Though Gravehill's lyrical themes would leave you to believe otherwise these guys just want to pump out some fun, badass metal tunes, and with When All Roads Lead To Hell they did nothing short of that. Fans of any and all forms of extreme metal should check this out. There isn't a dull moment on this album. Get this.