To the Grave are an Australian deathcore band and this is their second album.
In part of the promo blurb for this album it mentions To the Grave’s ‘accessible extremity’, which is a great way to describe what the songs on Director’s Cuts offer. This music provides the absolutely brutal heaviness that I love, while also delivering actual songs with hooks and memorable parts.
Yep, To the Grave’s deathcore is played with crushing intensity and an ear for catchiness. There are some damn good riffs on these songs, and they’re infectiously packed with passionate performances. Stale, jaded deathcore this is not.
The deathcore template that To the Grave base their music on is a very familiar one at this stage. However, it’s what they do with it that counts, and they’re certainly not restricted by it. The band not only imbue their music with a strong personality of its own, but they consistently demonstrate above average songwriting skills throughout. They also take elements from metalcore, hardcore, and nu-metal, sprinkling these across the album as they rage and tear through the 43-minute running time. Other styles and ideas appear here and there too, cementing the impression that To the Grave are not a band who are interested in simply repeating all of the standard deathcore tricks.
The songs are written to not only destroy with brutality, but also to appeal to people that like their heaviness to have a song-based, hook-friendly approach. To the Grave have a clear sense of how to harness and unleash aggressive energy in a much more dynamic way than many of their peers.
I should also mention the vocals, which have a lot of variety and range. The singer is as impressive as the rest of the music, and there’s no weak link to be found on Director’s Cuts.
Director’s Cuts is a shockingly enjoyable slice of deathcore extremity. With strong songs, great energy, a willingness to step outside the generic, and a whole heap of talent, To the Grave surely have a bright and heavy future.
Very highly recommended.
Wonderbox Metal 