DEGRAVE - Self Titled review

DEGRAVE - Self Titled 

Self Released




So if you are a friend of mine on Facebook, and you're probably not for good reasons, then you would know that I've been getting nostalgic in August for 80's era metal. In fact on one Wednesday after I posted a song from WASP a friend coined the term "WASP for WEDNESDAYS". That lead to me listening to their first two albums as well as their infamous first single. Ironically enough it's August and I'm listening this, a thrash revival act.


DEGRAVE hail from Jefferson City, Missouri a place I've never been to on all of my travels. It's the state's capital and is rumored to have a dive bar / club scene. After listening to this their second full length I'm guessing DEGRAVE has paid many dues in bars / clubs in their burg. The thing is do they realize the thrash revival (aka: new bands reprising carbon copy sounds from the past) is long over? Or hey maybe they just don't give a flying fuck?


OK so lets go for the obvious, do you still like old METALLICA, MEGADETH or early VOIVOD? Yeah I know, who doesn't? Well for old fuckers like me nostalgia is a good thing because back when it was all going on we were getting fucked up, thrashing in the pit and looking to get laid. Oh yeah and we listened to extreme music. But I sporadically delve into the past that's why I was a huge fan of the thrash revival years ago.
  

DEGRAVE might be eight years too late for that and their use of trigger drums is upsetting. Still when I listen to em I'm more impressed with their dedication to song craft. There's ten cuts on here and each one carries with it an approach that's part of reprising what one gets from opening a time capsule after decades. Hey lets do that too but lets do it as us in the now.


There's a hypocrisy going on in the mainstream metal media. Old school is cool if it applies to certain genres which are approved by the new school older hipsters (They're in their late thirties now which they consider to be old). A band like DEGRAVE, who do not hail from a "cool" burg, might not pass their muster. As for me well I will not be in the pit but if I were to be at one of this band's shows I'd be a guy in the back with the grey beard smiling. Yes this band is cool as fuck thrash.


https://www.degraveofficial.com/

https://degrave.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/degravethrash/