Hailing from Copenhagen, Denmark, Rising formed in 2008 and have released two full-length albums to date. Whilst the line-up may have shifted somewhat since 2013’s well-received offering ‘Abominoir’, (only drummer Martin and guitarist Jacob remain from the original crew) Rising show no corresponding loss of momentum and ‘Oceans into their graves’ sees the band continuing to combine melody, power and sludge into one, single, all-consuming, riff-driven ball of fury. Released on respected label Indisciplinarian, ‘oceans into their graves’ looks set to garner Rising new fans as they continue to explore the corroded hinterlands of metal, sludge and post rock that were previously the province of Mastadon.
Opening with the propulsive blast of ‘All dirt’, it’s clear that the word of Neurosis continues to inspire and inform as new legions of bands discover their toxic charm. Like Mastadon before them, Rising have simplified the formula and bought ideas of their own into the mix with the result that ‘all dirt’ never falls into the trap of becoming derivative. An epic solo, pitted against the towering riffs in the second half, for example, underscores a certain love for traditional metal stylings and the overall result is a track that breathlessly introduces the listener to the album. Reminiscent of Soundgarden at their most angular and dense, ‘Burn me black’ offers up powerful vocal harmonies amidst the swirling guitars and Martin’s skull-crushing percussion. It’s an impressive performance and the killer chorus is as addictive as it is brutal. Nonetheless, it’s Morten’s vocals that are the star of the show here, his voice inventively layered into a beautifully dense web that ensnares the listener with carefully plotted harmonies. Next up, ‘old jealousy’ surges on a surging riff only for a nimble, yet understated, guitar solo from Jacob to draw the piece ever further toward the realms of classic rock, Rising showing an equal love for Maiden and Priest as for Neurosis and Mastadon and it is somewhere between these disparate peaks that the song falls, always impressive and always varied. A short, sharp shock ‘blood moon’ shows that the band’s melodic gifts can be put to exceptional uses and you can easily imagine the fast paced track providing the album with a killer single, thanks to the soaring vocals and churning riffs that power it. The first half of the album concludes with the lengthy workout that is ‘the anger’. A doom-laden beast, ‘the anger’ provides an epic centrepiece to the album and sees Rising at their heaviest, drawing heavily on the Dio-fronted Sabbath to deliver a blacker-than-black monster that lurks in the darkness with malicious intent.
The second half of the album kicks off with the arcing feedback and unhinged percussive barrage of ‘coward heart’, a steely-eyed work that quivers with nervous energy. Aptly named, ‘death of a giant’ is a lumbering beast that evokes images of huge creatures, roaming the landscape and yet destined to die out as their time comes to an end. Another showcase for Morten Gronnegard’s deeply impressive delivery, ‘death of a giant’ brings to mind the epic might of Candlemass at their most expansive, and the killer riffs that pepper the song’s conclusion never fail to set the adrenalin flowing. An album highlight, ‘killers of the mind’ is a subtle, slow-burning piece that pits Martin’s pounding war drums against mountain-shattering power chords, only for the band to dig deep, introducing a mind-melting groove into the proceeding. Morten’s impressive vocal once again elevates the power of the song, and the track is a masterclass in the art of dynamic song writing. A rather more straightforward rocker, ‘waste deep’ offers impressive harmonies and riffs before the album concludes with the riff-happy beast that is ‘the night’. An impressive end to an impressive album that never outstays its welcome, ‘the night’ sees Rising unleash one last barrage of toxic riffs, hypnotic melody and minor-key harmonies leaving the listener eager to see where the band go next.
Drawing upon influences from across metal’s varied history, Rising have a truly independent mindset and yet are not afraid to dig into metal’s hardest hitters when the mood takes them. References abound, and yet Rising have the confidence and the skill to weave these points into a compelling tapestry that’s all their own. With stunning artwork (created by singer Morten), which perfectly captures the vibe of the album and a near-perfect production job, ‘Oceans into their graves’ is an unexpectedly varied, wonderfully melodic outing that rewards repeated listens with its layered and nuanced approach to song writing. In short, this is one hell of an album and one that comes very much recommended.
