Grima NIghtside CD Review

About a year ago, I ran across Grima, an atmospheric black metal band whose sound and aesthetic were unlike any other I had experienced before. Their ability to craft such warm environments while simultaneously sending the icy chills of the winds of Siberia down my back was truly remarkable and something I couldn’t get enough of. I immediately went and picked up ‘Rotten Garden’ and ‘Frostbitten’. At the time, I tried to do some research on the band but found information to be somewhat scarce. The two main things I was able to find out was that the band is composed of twin brothers Morbius and Vilhelm and that the band was not signed to a major label. I was incredibly surprised by the latter as the sheer talent clearly warranted that. To my surprise, shortly after discovering the band, they would get signed to Napalm Records.

The band’s major label debut, ‘Nightside’, is quite the spectacle. It’s a combination of black metal, doom metal and even folk metal with the addition of an accordion that immerses itself so soundly and finds itself right at home in even the heaviest and darkest of moments the album has to offer. “Flight of the Silver Storm” and “Skull Gatherers” are supreme examples of this and provide a tether of hope as you’re blinded by snow and carrying onwards through the desolate woods. One of my favorite tracks is “The Nightside” and it really showcases what makes the band special - the mastery of controlled chaos. The intro riffs remind me a bit of Behemoth and the drumming at times I would find reminiscent of Inferno. Additionally, some of Vilhelm’s screams remind me of Dani Filth when he hits those high notes; however, I would dare say that Vilhelm’s screams are deeper, richer and more impactful. “Curse of the Void” is the best example of the atmospheric black metal and folk metal coexisting. The accordion and gang vocals work so well with the opposing heavy riffs and blast beats.

If you’re just now experiencing the band due to their new exposure or have been a fan of theirs, I would say that ‘Nightside’ is incredibly well composed, written and performed and deserving of your time and attention. It might not be as heavy as some of their previous releases, but I feel the charm and what makes Grima stand out is that they’re willing to take risks and incorporate new elements to their
sound. Congratulations on your new success, boys! It’s well deserved and quite frankly, overdue!

~TJ