Grave Pleasures - "'Plagueboys"

My favorite Finnish post- punk revivalists are back. There is a more melodic quality in place on these new songs, that takes some of the more metallic edges off. On songs like "Heart Like a Slaughterhouse" they have taken their tried and true sound, echoing all the way back to when they were Beastmilk and polished it into something even catchier. The pleading baritone warble of his croon, even stronger due to the songs being written with vocals at the centerpiece. "When the Shooting is Done" finds new wave flirtation taking place. This pressed even further, with Mat toying with his upper register with "High on Annihilation" which benefits from a catchy chorus. The ghost of the 80s haunts this heavily, without these guys becoming more obsessed with chasing a sound than writing a song. 

If you ever wondered what Joy Division might sound like if Ian Curtis had lived and the band moved toward the New Order sound with him in tow it would not be far from what happens with "Lead Balloons". The down trodden mood weighs down the hookiness. The song drones out until it fades out in the distance. "Imminent Collapse" reminds us that the world has merely caught up with what the band's message has been, the world is ending, making it a helluva time to fall in love. This one has to grow on me, but by the end of the song I am onboard. My growing concern about this album was the more laid back mood, which was not playing to the strength found in the explosive tension of their previous albums, but play to those strengths on "Society of Specters" . It might not rock as hard as what they have done in the past, but proves they are still capable of getting there. 

There is a great bass on this album. Strong bass is the backbone of post-punk, and this factor is not forgotten in the more spacious mix. "Conspiracy of Love" displays some really wonderful guitar tones. The intensity is dialed back, but the more refined energy still proves effective here. Lyrically this album is pretty great , but it is going to take another listen for it to all sink in. The title track finds the bass digging into a beefier tone to drive the song. It is more brooding, and allows the vocals to speculate with less urgency. The song moves at more of a shuffle. There is more of a Cure like feel to the atmospheric drone of the last song's bass line. His vocals are more interesting and it might be one of the album's best song, despite not relying as heavily on hooky writing. I will give this album a 9.5, as I am still getting use to some of the directional shift taken, but they are still one of the best that revisiting this era. 

8.9