Grave Flowers have blossomed for the second time, if considering by full length albums. It's been 5 years since the debut album 'Solace Me' was released. Gloomy emotive metal is what this Swedish band perform on 'Incarcerated Sorrows', nothing as doomy as in their demo era. This band is Godgory-man Matte Andersson's (voice, bass, also in Loss) personal project, helped by Jan Janson (Loss, Mental Crypt) on guitar.

Like their country mates Cemetary, Nightingale and Lake Of Tears, Grave Flowers perform sorrowful music, which on the one hand is metal, but also has hard rock influences. Simplistic, slowish riffs are backed by multifarious synths (e.g. piano sound or picturesque eerie synths) and acoustic guitars. Songs have a few parts in each and I find GF's compositions too slowly moving or happening. At worst times they are simply boring, and this factor is definitely the worst problem of the album. I can't comfortably sit for over an hour, because the band repeats their ideas too often. Male vocals sound a bit too weepy or moaning for my liking, but at least are quite unique. I can't say that singing is professional, because it isn't, and vocals are real yes/no thing. Generally, GF's music is melancholic, but not even close to most melancholic or emotionally sorrowful stuff I've heard. I can't call this highly original either. Playing-wise and sound-wise 'Incarcerated Sorrows' is good. Playing is fitting for this kind of music: not flashy, just basic. The album sounds kind of timeless, which is a good thing.

Grave Flowers have created an album, that does not fit to all frames of mind. Or maybe this springtime is not really suitable season for this. This is slowly moving and not very happening music, maybe even minimalistic at times, but it will grab listener if spun a few times. So those who seek emotive music, should try 'Incarcerated Sorrows'.

Rating: 6 (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
03/26/2005 20:54