Thrash metal loud and heavy is what Grave Forsaken delivers on their latest album ‘Fight to the Death.’ Grave Forsaken continue to offer their style of Bay Area Thrash and on this release it seems to me that the recipe is even better than on their previous stab at musical whimsy.

Make no mistake that the guitar is what propels this machine and we can hear it right from the first. It seems to me that a more mature and driven fellowship has emerged within the Grave Forsaken camp. Before this release there was some good solid music being produced, yet on ‘Fight tot the Death’ it feels invigorated and re-energized.

The first single and video entitled ‘War is Hell’ is prime example; depth of performance has improved along with the production values. It seems readily apparent that the vocals of Vaughn Gregory are more biting and intense. His attitude is one of absolute urgency and the delivery shows. The vocal effect at the end of the ‘War is Hell’ is genius as far as I’m concerned. All of the vocal melodies are not just mimicking the rhythm of the guitars but have taken a life of their own, which in turn opens the way for memorable songs.

“Fight to the Death,” “Black Sunday,” also give evidence of an improved style of songwriting that elevates Grave Forsaken into the realm of contenders. “Destruction Comes” barrels like a bat outta hell with deadly force. A set opener one must wonder. A powerful chorus and this composition has nailed it.

Lyrically Grave Forsaken has not left their purpose, which is evangelism through music. Taking current events and incorporating a Christian perspective is difficult without coming across as judgmental. These guys are upfront but not a total downer, at least from my perspective.

For me the only actual low point is the song 'Call me a Dreamer.' It feels outta place, a ballad or perhaps the one song that doesn't blow the doors off the hinges. I found it to be a little disappointing amidst all of the other strong performances.

If you gave Vaughn Gregory and company a shot before and were left wanting, give ‘Fight to the Death’ an opportunity. With better musicianship and better songs this flight of fancy moves like a Saturn V rocket that has left the launch pad, you’d better get in or get enveloped in the blast. Make sure you save me a place down front…

White Throne Metal Reviews



This very prolific act are ready with a new opus after less than 7 months after the previous album's release; so what can we expect from "Fight To The Death"? Well, the music is not entirely different from the one heard on the last one, being a varied work of power and thrash metal mixing fast with slower numbers the former hitting relatively hard with direct heavy riffs. "The Years Of Carnage" is a pleasant surprise in the middle, energetic full-fledged thrash, a competent mix of sharp riffs and melodic hooks, the positive impression from it also aggravated by the next "Call Me A Dreamer", which is a nice galloping power/thrasher with a male-female vocal duel and a slight presence of keyboards. Then the mosh continues with "Destruction Comes", although after it the speed gets decreased, with the final "Light In The Shadow" bringing some "light" (in the shadow) with more dynamic pounding riffage. As a whole this is not a bad effort at all seeing the guys coming up with a decent material on very regular terms without sounding trite and boring.

The Thrash Metal Guide

With song chorus lines like ‘Love makes it harder to hate’, ‘Christ is lord, Christ is king’ and ‘death, death, death on the cross, Christ died for our sins’ it’s no secret that the lads of Grave Forsaken, one of Perth’s up-and-coming Death Metal bands are in fact practicing Christians. This by no means is a drawback, as it hasn’t stopped them making great music as seen in their latest offering, their live album Light the Hall!

This live album showcases a decent cross-section of the band’s career this far; tracks like “North Wind” and “Destined for Ascension” feature some excellent death metal riffery while ‘Death on the Cross’ and the titular “Light the Hall” features some great headbanging beats with thumping double kick and heavy breakdowns, with some nice basswork. A particularly refreshing aspect of the album is that guitarists Vaughn Gregory and Elias Salmela feature excellent dual guitar work, incorporating driving rhythm passages with higher lead work. It’s a solid listen that’s for sure, but the vocals, while clear could do with more tonal range.

In terms of production dynamics and overall sound quality, the live recording felt a little lacking in some areas; the guitars sound a little muddy during some of the lower, powerchord-heavy parts, while the higher, treble-based picking sounds clear and sharp. The drums could sound a little ‘bigger’ but this doesn’t feel like a fair criticism since this recording is all done live.

All together, this live album is a great listen as a piece of local metal, and although the strongly Christian themes may be confronting to some, the open minded will find a solid death metal listen with these guys. With their new album ‘Fight to the Death’ on the horizons the Perth metal scene has something to look forward to.

Tim Sezer

Have you ever heard a thrash metal band sing about signs of the apocalypse, God being the only one that matters, Microsoft controlling the masses, or the need for an environmental cleansing? If not, you probably haven’t listened to Grave Forsaken’s This Day Forth, eight heavy songs that revolve around making the world a better place and how humans are destroying it with their greed and lustful desire for more.

Hailing from Perth, Australia, Grave Forsaken has been rocking and rolling since their formation in 2004. This Day Forth is the bands third album and the first for their new label, Soundmass. They are definitely a thrash metal band with a Megadeth influence, but traces of Suicidal Tendencies and a pinch of Manowar are apparent throughout.

This Day Forth kicks off with “No News…Ain’t Good News” and the message is made clear early on: the world needs to change. The lyrics in this song (and throughout the album) speak of melting polar ice caps, environmental disaster, and political agendas, the collapse of the global economy and the absence of free will. Combined with the heavy, thrashing rhythm of crashing drums and amazing guitar work, the message is delivered like a kick in the groin.

The lyrics to the music are what really make this record stand out. Deep, meaningful prose that forces the listener think about the world and their situation in it is captured here. Themes such as selling yourself on a daily basis, giving all of your energy to the job and having none left for a personal life, as well as re-examining your relationship with the Earth and the Lord are all poignant and effective in their mission to make one think and reconsider what is being done on a daily basis.

The guitar work from Vaughan Gregory and Elias Salmela is absolutely incredible and adds depth and power to the record. Their twin guitar attack is crisp, clean, and clear, and their outstanding ability to shred the axe shines through on this album. While Vaughan’s vocals leave a little to be desired, they blend well enough for this thrashing metal attack on the senses.

The title track is the best song on the record, hands down. The heavy laden guitar intro leading right into the drums kick starting the song into high gear is an immediate announcement…pay attention! The drum beats and chord changes blending with the heavy chants of “This Day Forth!” are what make this song so appealing and likable. A fist pounding, rage filled anthem if ever there was one.

While there is a lot of originality in the lyrics to the record, there isn’t much in the way of the music itself. A few of the songs sound eerily similar with different lyrics and that takes away from what could have been an extremely strong album. Too many tracks have the same format with similar bass and drum beats, and the vocal range does not change much (if at all) from song to song.

The similarity to Suicidal Tendencies on “Celebrity Judge” and The Sinners Part III” sounds so close to that band, you would almost think they recorded it. Once again though, the guitar work stands out on this track and forces the ear to take notice. Cookie Monster makes an appearance at the end of the song (and again for “Death Undone”) in the form of the grunt and growl vocal styles noticeable in a lot of death/doom metal bands.

“This Day Forth” is thrash metal done right, but it could have been done just a little bit better. While not an awful record by any stretch of the imagination, it’s an album that would benefit from some polishing.

Rob Rockitt