Album Reviews : Gallows for Grace – A Process for the Destruction of Tomorrow (EP)

I bought this CD on a bit of a whim, I was scanning the shelves of a random music store and found a label proclaiming “Tech Death from Perth” so I thought I’d give it a go. Let me tell you, after the first listen I was seriously glad I did. Gallows for Grace exhibit some amazing technical capacity, right from the start (the listeners’) ears are greeted with some brilliant sweep work that is so spot on it sounds almost digital. The drums too are powerful and complex as they lurch their way through the dynamic sounds scape that is “A Process for the Destruction of Tomorrow”.

Did I just say dynamic? Maybe that’s not quite the right word. Gallows for grace do change tempo quite a lot and the technicality is always there thanks largely to the ever present guitar fills. There is a problem however, a problem I can no longer over look. Break downs, that’s right, fucking breakdowns. I’m not one to dismiss a band simply because they use something that is associated with a style of music I’m not a fan of but this is too much. Every single song on “A Process for the Destruction of Tomorrow” has a break down. Admitedly the technicality isn’t lost as the stupidly spacious and boring breakdown riffs are filled in and to a small extent hidden by some pretty cool sweeps and short leads, I guess this goes some way to explaining why it took until my third listen to realize how boring the EP can get.

Gallows for Grace are a strange mix that I just can’t see working for a lot of people. I could imagine fans of hardcore would love the constant breakdowns but would find the technical drumming hard to follow and the fiddly guitar works intrusion into the slow breakdown riffs annoying. Conversely, fans of tech death on first listen would love the guitar work, the constant shifting of time signatures and the technical drumming but I imagine many (like me) will grow tired of nearly every song almost grinding to a halt as the inevitable breakdown kicks in.

I loved this EP on first listen and would have gladly given it a 8/10. Now though, I’m sick of it and would rather score it 2/10. I think I’ll split the difference. 5/10

Band: Gallows For Grace
Album: A Process for the Destruction of Tomorrow EP
Year: 2008
Genre: Technical Death Core
Label: Skull and Bones Records / Stomp Distribution
Origin: Perth, Australia
http://www.myspace.com/gallowsforgrace

Tracklisting:
1. Rites (Intro)
2. World Eater (Reviewers Choice)
3. The Process
4. Purest Atrophy
5. Primordial Orbit
6. Revealing the Helical Nether

Review by Dan “Franky” Berryman