Graveyard - Lights Out

Dare I say it, but I'd go as far as saying Graveyard is the best rock band in the world. Best has different meaning to most popular. Most popular doesn't mean you are the best, these days it just means partly that you have been given more exposure to the world. If Graveyard was American or British, they would be taking the world by storm, plain and simple. The first two Graveyard albums are two of the best rock albums of recent times (well for me). The new album 'Lights Out' comes with perhaps the highest of expectations. All to live up to..

Again that dark mood surrounds the album and again the rough edge is present both through the riffs and Joakim's voice. 'Seven Seven' is probably the roughest sounding song I have heard from Graveyard. The catchy moments are still present at times too and shine mostly in songs like 'The Suits, The Law & The Uniforms' and 'Goliath'. The bluesy solos and rocking melodies still appear from time to time as well and as always, really bleed that old school feel.

'Hard Times Lovin' ' and 'Slow Motion Countdown' are some really deep numbers too. A moody bass line and Joakim's vocals taking a more low end approach takes hold of 'Hard Times Lovin'. It sounds like one of the darkest songs they have done. Joakim simply carries 'Slow Motion Countdown' the way he builds up his voice. His best moment on the whole album. It really is a great example of the passion and feel he has in his voice. I still remember back to the Afterburner gig at Roadburn in 2010 and being blown away by how powerful his vocals were and the way he would hit his notes. The best vocal performance I saw on the whole trip.

If you sit this along 'Graveyard' and 'Hisingen Blues', the sad thing is that 'Lights Out' has nothing on these two albums. I guess that shows how good the first two albums were. They are simply brilliant. 'Lights Out' is good but because of high expectation (extremely high at that), this falls very short. The first two albums did not have a bad song or moment on them at all. Every riff virtually caught on and had enormous feel and energy. Lyrically, they were far more powerful and deep and were certainly helped by vocals that knew when to vary between a level tone and letting out all emotions. 'Lights Out' lacks all of this.

Favourite songs on 'Lights Out' like 'The Suits..', 'Goliath' and 'Hard Times Lovin' ' simply don't stack up to the likes of 'Thin Line', 'Uncomfortably Numb', 'The Siren', 'Lost In Confusion' and many many others. But then, they don't stack up to anything on the first two albums. On 'Lights Out', I am not really letting out a 'WOW' to anything. Overall, it feels rushed and short of ideas. There was a three year gap between 'Graveyard' and Hisingen Blues' and only a year and a half between 'Hisingen Blues' and 'Lights Out'. At least for me, when hearing this, it lacks the fresh ideas and creativity that 'Hisingen Blues' had.

Yeah, the first few paragraphs might say otherwise and that is because I still like this. I am just not blown away. Sure, some of their roughest and darkest moments are found here, but that doesn't mean it is better. 'Lights Out' has fallen victim to expecting 'Amazing' but only got 'Good'. Maybe it has to grow, and it is, slowly. But it wont go much further. Oh well, sometimes one can be hard to please...

Ikil