It is rare I buy a CD by a band I don’t know but in 2011 I was recommended an album called Hisingen Blues crafted by the Swedish group, Graveyard. I gave it a listen and have been hooked on their music since then.
The good news is that after a pandemic-imposed hiatus, they’re back with the imaginatively titled, 6. The title may underwhelm, but the music certainly does not – nine new songs with the same signature sounds fed into a slower, heavier, darker and inward-looking atmosphere, whilst keeping the blues base you know and love.
The gentle, sweeping almost countrified blues of opener ‘Godnatt’ with subtle slides guiding the mood should convince new and old fans alike. Fear not, the rock soon rears its irresistible head-on lead single, ‘Twice.’ The ’60s/’70s nigh on Stones like guitar and overall phrasing is an absolute delight. Another mood change comes along on track three, as ‘I Follow You’ has an intro that conjures a Morricone-like wasteland before echoes of the Doors bring the track to full throttle. ‘Breathe In, Breathe Out’ manages to be bluesy, gospel-y but still heavy, dark, different but definitely Graveyard.
Elsewhere ‘Just A Drop’ and ‘Bright Lights’ keep the variation on a theme going with some stunning arrangements. Closing track ‘Rampant Fields’ takes an almost prog route to deliver a slow and emotional slice of bluesy rock.
This may not be as immediate as their debut, but it is packed with quality compositions with a complexity that repeated listens will reveal the many layers of enjoyment that await. Graveyard have done it again: a fresh and different approach that remains rooted in the blues but brings many variations woven cleverly and carefully into the tapestry that 6 unveils. It also proves that rock doesn’t have to be all rapid riffs to provide sheer quality.
