They’re back from the dead. Gothenburg rockers Graveyard were at the forefront of the whole retro-rock revival of the late aughts, with 2011’s Hisingen Blues serving as one of the finest examples of modern-day Led Zeppelin worship to these ears. After breaking up in 2016, albeit for a couple months, they’ve returned with their first new album since 2015’s lukewarm Innocence and Decadence… and it’s already shot up to the top of the Swedish charts.
“It Ain’t Over Yet” kicks things off with an up-tempo Led Zep boogie, complete with soaring vocal. This is definitely the Graveyard you know and love. “Cold Love” was pre-released as a single, and has more of a Monster Truck vibe—which is not a bad thing by any means. It does drag on a bit at a shade under five minutes, though.
After a soft, mellow number (“See the Day”), it’s back to the crunchy, southern-style rock—with “Please Don’t” also sounding more Monster Truck than Led Zeppelin, although the chorus on this one is a little more Deep Purple, what with its Hammond organ flourishes. “The Fox” leans heavy on the wah, giving off a similar vibe to more recent Monster Magnet, while “Del Manic” isn’t bad as far as ballads go. Although they mellow out down the stretch, “Low (I Wouldn’t Mind)” ends things on a jauntier blues note. Overall, I’d call this album a slight step up from its predecessor.
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