Review: Stonegriff - Come Taste The Blood (Metal On Metal 2015 CD)

 One of the latest newcomers of the ever so supreme Swedish doom-metal scene is Stonegriff. Or to be accurate, they have been around for a few years already, but with the release of Come Taste The Blood, their sophomore album, they have taken a step up and joined the real elite. Two years have passed since the release of their debut Prologus Magicus, which sure wasn't bad, but nothing on it really stood out and it kind of left me with a bland impression. But as soon as I heard the first tone of Come Taste the Blood, it was clear that things definitely had changed this time.

 Musically though, no sensational changes has taken place, other than that they have remarkably improved the song-writing and sound a lot tighter. But what really makes them feel like brand new band is the sound. After a quick research, you'll find that the guy who's responsible for the phenomenal production of this album is none less than Andy La Roque (who by the way also did a great job with Trial's last album). It just sounds amazing, and it makes you reflect of how much of a difference the right sound actually can make to an album, even though some (myself included) sometimes might think of it as something that no one but the audio-nerds care about.

 Anyway, with this album Stonegriff without question establishes themselves as one of the most interesting Swedish bands right now. Songs like the pounding Valkyrian Quest, the groovy You're Never Alone and the absolutely monumental In Doom We Trust (despite the slightly corny title, ruthless track!) can impossibly leave any doom-connoisseur unimpressed. 7.5/10