Review of GRAVEYARD - Fever / Nuclear Blast Records
The first thing that struck me about Fever was how much more eager Graveyard sound to get their hands dirty again. I liked the moodier side of 6, but there’s something about hearing this band lean back into the fuzz and let the riffs do the talking that feels immediately familiar in the best possible way. “Back From The Grave” kicks the door open with that thick, dirty guitar sound, and before long I was nodding along like an idiot. Sometimes that's all I want from a heavy rock record: a riff with enough weight behind it that I stop thinking about what the band might be trying to achieve and just enjoy the bloody thing.
“Tongue Tied” caught me off guard a little with its scruffier, faster attack. It has that garage-rock energy where you can almost imagine the room getting louder and more chaotic as the song goes on. Graveyard have always had a knack for making old-school influences feel like something they actually want to play, rather than a collection of records they've been studying for homework. This one has a proper kick to it, and I can see why the band would want to get these songs in front of a live audience.
Then comes “A Better Cut (Note To Self)”, which is more my kind of thing when it comes to the heavier end of their sound. That slower, Sabbath-like riff has the right sort of nastiness, and Joakim Nilsson's voice fits the music without making it feel too polished or tidy. I found myself wanting to hear that main riff again before the song had even finished. It's a simple pleasure, perhaps, but I would take a memorable riff over a dozen clever ideas that disappear from my head the moment the music stops.
“Year Of The Horse” keeps the album moving, but for me it doesn't quite deliver on its initial promise. There's a driving rhythm and enough movement in the guitar work to keep things busy, yet I was waiting for a stronger hook or a riff that would really sink its teeth in. It does the job of keeping the record rolling, but when the track ended, I couldn't say that much of it had stayed with me. For a band capable of writing riffs as instantly satisfying as the ones elsewhere on this album, that's a bit of a missed opportunity.
“A Means To An End” has a swaggering, blues-rock streak, but this is another point where the familiar Graveyard formula doesn't quite catch fire for me. The groove is there, and the band clearly know their way around this territory, but knowing how to play this kind of rock isn't the same as making every song memorable. The glammy touches give it a slightly different flavour, yet I kept waiting for the track to turn into something more distinctive. It never quite got there. It's perfectly listenable, but I wouldn't put it among the reasons to come back to Fever.
“Time To Tell” was one of the moments where I felt myself settling into the album rather than simply following its momentum. The bass gives the song a steady pulse, while the guitars gradually build a darker, more hypnotic mood. I like this side of Graveyard because they don't have to keep throwing riffs at you to hold your attention. They can let a motif repeat, allow the tension to build and trust the listener to stay for the ride. After so much forward motion, the change of pace feels welcome. More importantly, the song has a character that sticks with me after the louder, more straightforward tracks have passed.
“Don't Shoot” takes a slightly stranger turn, bringing some shadow into the record before “Room Tempered” comes along with a rougher, punkier shove. I understand the appeal of its raw attack, but this is probably the track where the album's preference for force over finesse becomes a problem for me. The energy is obvious; the payoff isn't. It barrels along with plenty of attitude, yet I don't find a particularly compelling riff or memorable turn that makes me want to hear it again. Rawness is one thing, but a rough sound doesn't automatically make a song exciting. Compared with the tracks where Graveyard get the balance between groove, atmosphere and heaviness right, this one feels undercooked.
The closing “Dead Note” is a much better fit for the mood I want from Graveyard when they slow things down. The bluesy guitar work gives it room to breathe, and the song gradually opens up rather than rushing to its destination. I like hearing a band let a track develop naturally, especially when the heavier passages feel earned instead of simply being added for impact. By the end, I was glad they hadn't decided to finish the album with another all-out sprint. It's the sort of closing track that reminds me there's more to this band than a dirty guitar tone and a good sense of swing.
Fever is a welcome return to the heavier side of Graveyard, though I wouldn't say that simply turning up the fuzz makes it better than 6. The Swedes are at their best when a strong riff meets a song that knows where to take it, or when they ease off and let their bluesy, psychedelic side do the work. “Year Of The Horse” and “A Means To An End” leave me wanting stronger ideas, while “Room Tempered” never quite makes its aggression count for enough. But “Back From The Grave,” “A Better Cut (Note To Self),” “Time To Tell” and “Dead Note” make up for a fair bit of that. Not every song hits home, but the best moments remind me why I keep coming back to this band. Turn it up and let those riffs breathe.
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