THE GRAVIATORS - Evil Deeds (CD/LP)

Karlshamn based stoner rockers The Graviators released their excellent debut two years ago, on Transubstans Records. They have since been picked up by (a bit surprisingly) Napalm Records and now the first fruit of this collaboration has been unearthed. The band’s second effort is entitled Evil Deeds and was produced by experienced stoner (among others…)  producer Berno Paulsson, who has put his mark on bands like Spiritual Beggars. The Graviators could be placed in the same category as the Beggars, but topped with a classic Count Raven doom feel. Great retro sounding riffs, well-played and great sounding. Singer Niklas Sjöberg sounds a bit like a mix of a young Ozzy and Count Raven singer Chritus Lindersson, which may not be for everyone, but to me it fits the music perfectly. I also really like guitarist Martin Fairbanks Iommi-style soloing, and of course the band’s tight rhythm union consisting of bassist Johan Holm and drummer Henrik Bergman, who reminds me a bit of Ludwig Witt at times in his groovy loose playing. The song material is really strong and doesn’t just rely on simple riffing or chord plodding, but cool rhythmic variations and great intricacies that take the songs to a new level. Just listen to the swing style of The Great Deception, a killer song indeed! There’s also a bit of vintage Sabbath in songs like Häxagram. The Graviators manage to bring, if not new, but at least exciting things into a long running and pretty overexploited genre. Buy Evil Deeds and Sideburn’s IV Monument and you’re set for the time being (there are actually a few more you should check out). The album is also available in a limited beautiful double-LP version.
Janne Stark
Label: Napalm Records
Year: 2012
Country: Sweden