On their third record, progressive post-hardcore
(verging on post-metalcore) up and comers Greyhaven have absolutely nailed
it, pure and simple. Hailing from Louisville, Kentucky (mullets! bad
moustaches!), Greyhaven deliver on the promise shown previously –
particularly on their second record, Empty Black – with something really
outstanding. One can hear some influence here from (now sadly defunct)
metalcore stalwarts Every Time I Die, especially in the occasional
inclusion of southern blues rock amidst the chaos, although Greyhaven
venture far further into the ‘post’ landscape than Every Time I Die ever
did. The Callous Daoboys are another, more contemporary (and, so far,
more acclaimed), touchstone. But they have never reached anywhere near these
heights (NB: The Callous Daoboys’ own 2022 record is good but did not
come close to a List placing). This Bright and Beautiful World is a
journey into depression and damaged mental health: make no mistake, it is ironically
named. There is nothing bright nor beautiful here (one might note, instead, the
title of the opening track: ‘In a Room Where Everything Dies’, which better
reflects the album’s tone). It’s bleak stuff, but this record undoubtedly
benefits from being thematically focused. Its real trump card, though, is the
music. This Bright and Beautiful World writhes and twists in a host of
unexpected ways. Unusual time signatures, changes in tempo, and a mixture of
bile and melody: this is intricate and curated carnage. Greyhaven will
undoubtedly be too much for many, with the metalcore screams obscuring the
quality on show. There’s no doubt that a track like the truly vicious ‘Foreign
Anchor’, for example, requires a hardy disposition. But this record also sees Greyhaven
branching out, with the astounding ‘Fed to the Lights’ showcasing their melodic
prog credentials, and the groovy ‘All Candy’ making it clear, almost
arrogantly, that they can do radio-friendly just as well as unfriendly if
they’re of a mind – a highlight of this record while being wholly
unrepresentative of it. This Bright and Beautiful World is an exemplary album:
one of the best heavy music records of the last decade, up there with the likes
of Boss Keloid’s Melted on the Inch and Tool’s Fear
Inoculum.
Speaking of outstanding heavy albums…