Come to Grief – When the World Dies (Review)

Come to Grief are a sludge band from the US and this is their debut album.

Formed by ex-members of Grief, When the World Dies contains 38 minutes of harsh ugliness for fans of Grief, Fistula, Eyehategod, Yatra, Burning Witch, Iron Monkey, and Thou. Prepare yourself, as Come to Grief take no prisoners.

This is music that’s dark and foul. It’s ripe with violence and barbaric heaviness. It’s a vision of slow, doom-infused sludge nastiness that plays out over seven coarse tracks. It’s misanthropic, extremely heavy, and just wants to crush you flat. The vocals are abrasive screams that sound like they can skin you alive just be getting to close to you. On two songs these are backed up by the singer of Converge, who’s caustic snarls back up the main singer’s vile shrieks very well.

When the World Dies is an album that’s deeply saturated in anger, misery, hatred, and frustration. Every dejected second is soaked in pain, whether it’s the scathing vocals, the pulverising distortion, or the despondent leads. The songs are punishing and harsh, and it’s surprisingly easy to lose yourself in their brutal grooves as they go about their horrid business. These cruel songs are well-crafted, with the vicious vocals and deadly guitars reaching an uneasy accord about how best to go about smashing your ribcage to pieces.

When the World Dies is exactly the sort of horrible sludge metal that I love, and haven’t heard nearly enough of in the last couple of years. If you have a taste for this sort of punishment then make sure you subject yourself to Come to Grief’s nightmare world.

Very highly recommended.