GraVil
“March Of The Titans” SINGLE
(www.gravilmetal.com)

GraVil are back! We last heard from this Anglo Swedish duo almost a year ago and now they’ve returned with this taster single to remind us of their screech metal mixed in with symphonic keyboards. What I’ve liked is that despite being only 2 guys they’ve nevertheless succeeded in creating an impressive sound with Gra on the vox and Vil doing the rest, and on this self produced single as well as promo video ( www.youtube.com/watch?v=3S031q9ybWQ) this is even more so thanks to a band as well as the guest efforts of ex Cradle’s James McIlroy on guitars (who, needless to say, adds an extra CoF dimension) and Alex Lamy on orchestration, all of which make for a salivating foretaste of the band’s debut due later this year!

-Shan Siva

GraVil
“Age Of Corruption” EP
(Bitter To The Core Records)

Anglo Scandinavian Symphonic Death - well, that’s what it sez here folks! Centred around multi dimensional Brit vocalist Gra and Swedish multi instrumentalist Vil (hence the name if ya haven’t cottoned on), it’s certainly that on the opener ‘Through The Eyes Of The Spartans’ where the dual contrasting growl vs melodic vocals meets that familiar Swedish melodic death sound. Struggling to keep pace with these two tearaways are the rest of the 4 piece band plus guest musos like Cradle’s James McIlroy and The Berzerker’s Martin Bermheden. Sadly, the style doesn’t continue through this 5 tracker EP giving way to throat strained metalcore on ‘Heaviosity’ and irresistibly In Flames (with a cruch of Metallica chucked in) on the closer ‘Still World’. However, their gross overuse of free speech and unauthorised free will has produced a spark of enlightenment that I would like to see more of - especially in the dynamic duo style of Gra + Vil.

-Shan Siva