Sammath’s uncompromising core is intact, but Grebbeberg’s melodic sensibilities distinguish it from its predecessors. Grebbeberg’s title refers to the site of a World War II battle in which Kruitwagen’s great-uncle lost his life defending the Netherlands from Germany. Accordingly, Grebbeberg aims to capture the sounds and the horrors of wartime. Deathy black metal riffs ambush the listener at supersonic speeds, akin to Concrete Winds or parts of Marduk’s output. Jan Kruitwagen’s vocals sound like a Norwegian black metal singer being devoured by ants, while Wim van der Valk’s drumming mimics the sounds of a battlefield. Sammath’s tamer tremolo sections are tinged with traditional black metal, like early Darkthrone on elephant steroids.[! Where can I score those? – Steel] Grebbeberg’s secret weapon is its melodic influences. Many of Sammath’s leads and riffs would be at home on a Necrophobic album. Impressively, these melodic forays never feel derivative or unnecessary, because of how well Grebbeberg integrates them with Sammath’s trademark aggression. Sammath’s expanded arsenal on Grebbeberg is a pleasant surprise.
With seven albums and nearly two decades under their belt, Sammath still sounds both devastating and engaging. Grebbeberg’s blackened riffs inspire fear of imminent catastrophe (“Crushed, Shattered and Destroyed”). Sammath also embraces grindcore in their refusal to sit still, which sometimes leads to underdeveloped transitions but keeps things interesting (“Tot de Laatste Granaat”). The drums shine through their fury and their production, which makes the snare and the toms sound indistinguishable from gunshots and explosions, respectively (“Crushed, Shattered and Destroyed”). Sammath capitalizes on this during a spectacular segment of “Murderous Artillery,” featuring a hyperactive drum solo and battlefield sound effects in terrifying unison. The melodic influences do more than their fair share. Grebbeberg’s guitar leads control the emotional tone during key transitions, instilling despair (“Last Gasp of the Dying”) and frenzy (“Reichswald”). Despite Sammath’s hellish sound, most of Grebbeberg keeps my attention. Highlights like “Reichswald” and “Tot de Laatste Granaat” get my head bobbing and my feet tapping, even in my distress. At their best, Sammath’s ability to curb-stomp me with my full consent sets them apart.
A dollop of more dynamism would help Grebbeberg hit even harder. The album’s loud production makes it punchy but exhausting, coming off as a blob of sound rather than an intricate composition. Similarly, Grebbeberg’s mix often buries melodic leads behind simple tremolo riffs (“Murderous Artillery”), causing the album to sound more uniform than it actually is. The songwriting has analogous flaws. Despite Sammath’s larger toolkit, Grebbeberg’s sonic onslaught lacks peaks or valleys. Turning up the dial to 11 for 39 minutes makes it difficult to identify variety or remember highlights. This might be intentional; after all, war doesn’t have pristine climaxes or a high DR score. But paradoxically, the all-out attack weakens Grebbeberg’s impact, and the end of the record suffers as a result. By the time “Decimated” and “Stahl und Feuer” close the album, Sammath’s riffs have lost their sheen, and my mind wanders. Sammath is indeed capable of dynamic writing, and “Last Gasp of the Dying” showcases their talent for building from serenity to chaos and vice versa. This skill would come in handy across the album.
Just as Sammath intended, Grebbeberg is an even more difficult record than I had expected. My first listen through the album, above the cacophony of the subway, brought me confusion. My second listen brought me disappointment, and the third brought me resignation. On my fourth listen, Grebbeberg started to click. By my fifth, Sammath had me under their torturous spell, and I noticed melodies and songwriting tricks that had eluded me at first. Grebbeberg’s uniformity makes it less memorable, but it’s still a grower and a haunting listen, even for the uninitiated. The melodic shift in Sammath’s sound has raised the bar for what they’re capable of, and I’m excited to hear where it leads them.
Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320kbps mp3
Labels: Hammerheart Records | Napalm Records
Websites: sammathhhr.bandcamp.com | sammath.nl | facebook.com/sammath666
Releases Worldwide: June 16th, 2023
