Greyline
Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands | INDIE
Music
Press
Oh my God what a surprise! Former hardcore outfit Greyline has broadened its musical horizons in a remarkable way. Their sophomore effort ‘Behind The Masquerade’ showcases an experimental sound that is very hard to define indeed. It already starts with album opener ‘Flooding The Mountains’ a driving d-beat is soon tastefully combined with country influences and slide guitars. Refreshing? I’d like to think so!
But it does not stop just there, in the following ‘Nomads On The Run’ we hear tranquil postrock riffing, dark clean vocals and a powerful, accessible chorus that almost sounds like poprock. Then we have the psychedelic instrumental ‘Hunt Of The Coyote’, which sees the return of the slide guitars and ‘Riget’ that displays a hypnotic build up in the vein of Isis with an impressive climax in the middle and an unexpected relaxed ending. The beginning of ‘Ravens Head’ could easily have featured on one of the latest Poison The Well albums and the closing, eleven minute song ‘Mirrors’ astonishes with its references to the post hardcore meets postrock vibe of Neurosis’ ‘Eye Of Every Storm’ album. Whether it is sludge, stoner, post, metal, rock or hardcore: there is a little bit of everything here, but none of the influences dominates. International recognition is in the pipeline: the fact that Philip Cope (Kylesa) and Scott Hull (Pig Destroyer, Agoraphobic Nosebleed) are responsible for the mixing and mastering respectively, already points in that direction.
Apart from their musical approach, Greyline’s marketing concept is rather refreshing as well: at this very moment I am listening to one of the few compact discs containing the music. The album is namely freely available on their homepage and is only purchasable on vinyl through Black Death Records. ‘Behind The Masquerade’ is an intelligently composed, indefinable gem that grows on you with each listen. Greyline have managed to come up with a true work of metal art!
- Lords of Metal
Discography
BEHIND THE MASQUERADE
2010 LP Release on Black Death Records + free downloadable on www.greyonline.nl
RED CARPET AVENUE
2004 CD Release on Beniihana Records
SHAPING DIRECTIONS
2003 Demo CD DYI Release
Photos
Bio
GREYLINE is a profound Dutch rock/metal band, founded in the end of 2001. The last couple of years the band intensively toured through Europe while not forgetting to astonish their home crowd. The band was invited to the well known Waldrock and Eurosonic festivals and shared stages with bands like Slayer, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Converge and Textures.
In the summer of 2003 the band released their first EP containing four fast and aggressive songs with a healthy doses of melody.
In 2004 GREYLINE recorded their first full length album Red Carpet Avenue at the Rekorder studio in Hamburg. This both nationally and internationally highly appreciated record revealed a more complex and heavy side of the band. During their promotional tour trough Europe they shared stages with bands like Shai Hulud, Converge and The Red Chord.
Last year the band took their time to write and record nine dark, heavy and intensive songs. On their new album, entitled Behind The Masquerade, the focus lies more on compact and catchy song structures. Resulting into a fine mix between bands like Baroness, Poison The Well and Neurosis. Heavy, powerful and brutal. Some songs more edging towards catchy rock while other songs are slow and painful with great heavy riffs.
February the 19th their new album Behind The Masquerade will be downloadable for free on their website www.greyonline.nl. From their perspective this free distribution via the internet is the best way to reach as many people as possible.
For fans that want something extra and tangible, GREYLINE will release their album on vinyl on the Dutch label Black Death Records. “Vinyl is more about the complete experience of listening to music. Picking up a beautiful big album cover, sliding the LP out of its sleeve and placing the needle on the blank space before the first song, all adds up to the pure enjoyment of the warm sounds coming from your installation. It feels close to magic.” Says their frontman Jabe Piter Faber.
The mixing of Behind The Masquerade was done by Philip Cope. He is also responsible for the production of Red Album (Relapse 2009) by the rock/metal band Baroness, and is producer and guitarist/vocalist for the stoner/sludge-formation Kylesa. Scott Hull (Visceral Sound) did the powerful mastering. Hull is guitarist/producer for Agoraphobic Nosebleed and Pig Destroyer, and produced/mastered numerous releases for cult metal-label Relapse Records.
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