I would bet cold hard cash that if Pete Townshend listens to ‘Peace’ by Graveyard, he would throw his head back and scream “Long Live Rock!”. January 26, 2017 saw the re-opening of the doors of perception as Graveyard announced they were back after breaking up the year before. While Graveyard have lost founding drummer Axel Sjöberg, they have retained the kinetic energy and mind expanding hard rock that catapulted them into the limelight.
Opening with “It Ain’t Over Yet”, this album screams out that Graveyard are not done bringing us brilliant rock music. The groove is pounded out with the meaty playing of Truls Mörck (bass) and Oskar Bergenheim (drums). Oskar’s performance on this song and the rest of the album is exceptional with big crashing cymbals, flourishing tom rolls, and a snapping snare. The natural acoustics of the drum sound is refreshing.
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The pink and purple paisley swirl of fuzzy guitars sweetly singing greets your ears on “Cold Love”. The whiskey rasp of Joakim Nilsson’s vocals heat up this song to perfection. While we are on Nilsson’s vocals, I must give an editorial. The man does not sound like Robert Plant. If anything, when he reaches up high, he sounds closer to Ian Gillian (Deep Purple) or perhaps Steve Marriott (Humble Pie). Graveyard is far from a knock off Led Zeppelin. Their music stands on its own substantial rock merits blending the blues with soul crushing riffs.
The first single released from ‘Peace’ is “Please Don’t” and it is a brute of a song. A heavy hitter that would make any stoner lose their mind. While the song swaggers in on burly rhythms and riffs, the lyrics make it sizzle. Lines such as “I got me some wheels and a grip I could feel, some wine and some tape for my reel to reel yeah” and “I took a chance it got me here, but where that is, is not too clear” sound great and stimulate the imagination.
One of the best songs on this album and perhaps one of the best written by Graveyard is “Walk On”. Closing your eyes, you can feel the rhythm sending you cruising down the highway with only the moon to guide you. The trading guitar solos of Jonatan Larocca-Ramm and Joakim Nilsson enhance the feeling of flying down the road urgently seeking escape. As usual, the lyrics invite you to create your own narrative and reflect on how this song embeds within your essence.
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There are even more gems within Graveyard’s peaceful treasure chest of sounds. The performance by the band on this album is superb. I can’t ask for a better recording mix as the music is balanced with space to breath. If you are like me, you’ll find yourself spinning ‘Peace’ over and over. Each turn will unfold more of this multi-dimensional masterpiece.
Graveyard are back with sonic waves of liquid rock on ‘Peace’. This album finds the band banging out the rock riffs with a vengeance. A big black hearse filled with a crystal haze of psychedelic tunes cruising into the desert of our souls to spring forth a new beginning. Graveyard’s vintage approach to rock music on ‘Peace’ fills the senses with sinuous rhythms, limber lyrics, and sensuous grooves.
