Admire the Grim – Rogue Five EP
Release Date: 13th January 2023
Label: Inverse Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Melodic Death Metal, Heavy Metal.
FFO: Arch Enemy, Children of Bodom, Dark Tranquillity.
Review By: Mark Waight
Start off your 2023 with more firecrackers than a Hogmanay party by checking out Admire the Grim’s debut EP, Rogue Five. It’s a short but very, very sweet Melodic Death Metal outing with a true and pure heavy metal sound.
Ever since the early days of Tipton and Downing, nothing quite delivers that authentic Heavy Metal sound better than twin lead guitars played with fire and Admire the Grim do it in style. Throw into the mix some mighty-fine brutal female vocals, some tidy clean vocal interludes, and Rogue Five hits that sweet spot consistently throughout its short duration.
Hailing from Finland, Admire the Grim is Katri Snellman (vocals), Jani Loikkanen (guitar), Sirja Ojaniemi (guitar), Kalle Raatikainen (bass) and Tommi Vante (drums).
The Flood sets the pace, and it just never lets up, even for a second. The vocals change between brutal and clean, whilst those smoking hot guitars compete against each other from start to finish. Mad Queen of the Second Son is a rip-roaring slice of melodeath with a heavy bass undertone and thunderous drums. The vocals from Katri Snellman are utterly savage, and the riffs continue relentlessly right up to the short, sharp climax.
Self-titled track Admire the Grim is a marginally less harsh track, with the vocals more focused in a clean harmonious zone with occasional glimpses of the dark side. The intensity is marginally lower, however the full power of those guitars is never far from the surface.
Closer, Rogue Five, has an awesome old-fashioned Heavy Metal opening with more than a nod to some of the old masters of the genre whilst reminding us that there is a new sound in town with a point to prove. The scorching vocals demand respect as the passion and mood of the music is captured perfectly, bringing the EP to a close.
Wow, what an EP! My only complaint is that Rogue Five is far too short, and I would have liked a couple more tracks to whet my appetite further. Admire the Grim unquestionably have a great future in this business, and we can only hope that 2023 will bring them greater recognition and serve as a springboard to the undoubted success that Metal of this quality deserves. Let’s hear some more stuff soon, guys!
(4.5 / 5)
