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▓█▌▐█▌  ▓▀    ▀▀ ▓▀   ▀▓    ▀▀▀    ██▓ ██ ▀▀               ▀  █▌       ▓ ▀▀▀▀ ▀ ▐█▓ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▓██▄█▀ ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀   ▀▀▀▀▀▀ ▌▀ ░▓█▓░ ▀█▄                ▓▐█▀▀                      ░▓█▓░ ░█▓░░  ▓                      ▓        ▓░▓█░  ░▓▄█████▄░   ▄ ▄  ▓▄██████▄░  ░▐██▀▀▀▀███▓░ ▀▓▀ ▀▓▀ ░███▀▀▀▀██▄▓ ▀▀▀   ▀▀▀▀▀▀  ▀▀▀▀▀   ▀▀▀ ███  ████▀    ▄▀▀▄▄█████▄▄ ▄▄█████▄▄▀▀▄   ▀████   ██  ██   ▀██▄▐▄  ■ ▄██▀▀ ▀██▄ ▄ ▄██▀ ▀▀██▄ ■ ▄ ▄██▌   ▐█▓  ░▓▄   ▀██▄▀▓█▄▄▄█▀▀ ▄ ▄▓▓▄ ▐█▌ ▌ ▀▓▀ ▐▓▓▌ ▄▓▓▄ ▄ ▀▀▓▄▄░▄██▀   ▄▀      ▓░▓▄███   ▐▀ ▀▓▀ ▀▀ ▄██▀ ▀██▄ ▀▀ ▀▓▀  ▀███▄ ▓▓        ▄██▀▓   ■ ▀▄▀ ▀▄▀ ■   ░▀███░       ▓███▓     ░░ ▐▌ ▐▌     ░███▓      ███▌░  ▀ ▀ ███▓    ▐██▀ ▀███░   ██▌  Artist...: Vacant Grave ░▐██▌  ░▐██   Album....: Life or Death  ░██▌░ ▓▐██   Year.....: 1990  ▓▐██▓ ▓▐██   Rel.Date.: 2020-08-15  ░▐██▓  ▐██   Genre....: Thrash Metal   ██▌░ ░ ██▌  Label....: Nimbus Records   ██▌    ▐██  Source...: CD  ▐██    ░▐██▌ Type.....: Album ▐██▌░  ▓▄████ Quality..: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo ████▌░ ▓▄████ ████▌░   ███▌░  ███▓   ▐██░░▀█▄░         ▓█▌  ███  ▀██▓ ▓█▄        ▄█▀ ▓██▀    ▓██▄ ▓▓▀▄    ▄▓▀  ▄██▓░     ██▌    ▓  ▄▄▄ ░    ▐██▓░       ██▌    ░ ░▀▄▓▓█▀█▄▀▀░     ▓██░         ░██░     ░ ░▄ ▄▄██▐▓▓█▄░▄█▌██▀▀ ▀░ ░ ▄▄▀▀█░░▐█░      ▄  ▐█▌░    ░▄▄▀▓▓███▀▄░ ▓▄▄█▌▓▓█ ▓█░   ▀░▀  ██     ▀▀▀ ░█▓▄▄▄█▀░ ▓█        ░▐█▌    ░█▌▐▓ ▓▄▄░ ▌         ░█░     ▄  ▐▓▓▀▀▀░▓█▄▄░       ░░▄█▄ ▄ ██▄ ▀░▀ ▀█░▄▄▄  ▄█░▄▀▀▄▀▀▄░▀▀▄       ▀▀████████▀░ ▀▀░  ▄█▓░░░░▀░░█ █▄█▓        ▐█░▀██▀ ▄█▓░░░ ▐ ▄ ░▓█▄        ▓  ▐▌  ▐ ▄█▀█░ ░  ░ ▄ ▀█▄▓█░    ░▓▓▀▀░▄ ▌▓   ■░▒ ░ ▄ ▐▀▀▓▄█▓░░ ░ ░ ▄█▀█░█▐▓▌▀▄         ░▀█▌  ▓▬ ▓▀▓ ░▄▄▓▀▓░      ░▀█░▀█▄░░  ░█░ ██ █░▀█▐▌       ░▓░░▐▌   ▌ ░░■  ▄█▐  ▐       ▓▓▓█░▓█▄▄█░  █▓█▓▌░ ▀  ▄         ▓░▓ █▓▐░▌ ▓ ░▓▓ ▓▐▒▄░░▐▓█  ▌         █▀▀░▐▀░█▀▓  ▐▌ █▌    ▀░▀     ▄ ▐░▌░▐█ █▌ ▓   ░█░░█▀ ▐▓▐░ ▀▄▄▀▀▌░   ▄▄███▐████▄▓  ▌        █  ░   █ ─▀▀▀█▓░█▄▌  ▐░▐░ ▄▄▄░██  ░ ░ ░▓░  ▐▌▓▄▌▓▓▌▓▐▓█▀  ■                ▄ ▌     ▀█▄█▌ █▌▐▓░█▓ ▀ ░░░ ░▓█▄█  █▓▓▓▓▓█▄▓▓▐▓  ░        █  ░  ▄ ▀ ░  ░  ▓██  ▄██▀ ░▌█░▄░██░░▐▌  ▄ ░▌▄░░░▄▌░▌▀    ← ▄  ░  █  ▄██▀    ░░▓  ░▀█▐█▀▀▀▀▀ ▐▄██▀▀█▌░░▌   ▀░▀ ░▌ ▀░▀   ▐ █ █ █▄▐▓▓▌        ▀▄▄  ██▌▒ ░▄░  █▐▓░▐░   ░ ░▌▄     ░▌ ▄ ░ ██ ▀▓▓▓▄▄ ░▬▓░ ▐██▀▀▀▓░  ▐█▌░ ▌░    ███▄░  ░▌  ▀ ▄  █ ███   ▄      █▄▄██ ░░    █▐░ ▐▓  ▐▓██░ ░▓▓     ▀██▄  ███  ███▌   ▀░▀ ░▀██▌      ▐▓▌░ ▌░ ▐▓█▓    █ ░     ▐▓▓▌ ███ ▓████░  ▐█▌▄▄    ░ █▐▓ ░▌░  ░█▓▌░ ░  ▌         ▄▄▓▓▓▀  ███ ▐█▓██░ ▒▐▌ ░▄██ ██░  ▄▄█▌▌░▄█░░░░░██░░   ▓▌  ░      ░░▌ ▀▀▓▌░ ██▌░ ████░ ▄██▄░  ▄▄███ ▄██▄▄    █▓▓░▓█▓▓▄█▓▓▓░▌░░   ░█  ▄▄▓▄░▀▄█▓░▓▄▀▀▀█ ██▌▓░████▓░   █▌░  █████▌ ▀██▀▀  ▓▀▀▀▓▄ █▄█▐█▓▓▓█▌▓░ ░░ ▐▄▄▄▄█▓ ▄░  ░ ▒█████ ███▓▄████▓    █▌  ▐██ ██▌ ░██    ▄█ ░▄▄░▓██▀███▄▄▄██▀░▓▄▓█▀▀░░ ▀▒ █░ ░ ░ ▄▀▀█▄ ██████████████████████████▄██▄▄▓█░▬██▄███▀░░░█▓▄▄▄█░▄▄▄▬▐█▓▄▓▓▓▓▄█▀▀█▄▄█▀░▄██▄ ████▀███████████▓███████████████▀▓▓▀▐▌█▌█▀░▐█▀▀░ ▐███▄█▄▌░  ▀▄█░░░▌▄░░▄▓░▐▓▄▓▀ ██▄▓▄████████████████████▓████████████▓▌███▓░░░▄░░░░███▓░█████▀░▀▐ ▓▓▓▐▓█████ ████████▄▄███████████████████▐████████████████████████████████████▓█▌██████ ▓█░▓▄▄▄████▄▓▀ ▄▄▓ ▄▄▄░█▌ ░▄▀▀▄█▓░ ▓▓█░████▓███░██▀▓▓███▓ ▓██▓▐█▌ ███▄▄   ▐███▄ ▓▄█▀▀  ▐█▄█▀  ▄▀▀░ ▄█▀░ ░ ▓████████▐██████▓█▓ ▓█ ██  ░█▓ ▐█▄▓██▄██▄▐█▌░   ▐██▌▓▄█▀▓    ▄▄▀▀▀▀▄▄▄ ▓██▓▓▓▀▄████▐░███ █░█▌▄ ▐█▀██▀ ██▀   ▀███▄▄█▓ ███████▄▓▀▀▀▀▄▓  ░▄██▓ ▓ ▓██▓▀▄█████▓ ▄▄▀▀▓▄▄█▄▐█▄▄▓▄▄▄▄▄▄▄░▄░░░▄▄▀▄▄▀█░▄▄▄▄▄▄▐█▌ ▄██▀▄▄▄▄▄▄ ██░████ ▓     ░  ▓██░                        ▓█▄█▀     ▓██████            ▀▀▄▓                      ▓▀▀▀       ▓ █    1. Deadly Assault 5:10 2. Widespread Affliction 4:12 3. Room for 1 More 3:55 4. Graven Scripture 4:16 5. I.O.H. / Killer Instinct 5:20 6. Behind Bars 5:05 7. Premature Burial 2:17 8. Street Queen 2:50 9. Supernatural Force 4:02 10. Evil Deceiver 4:02 11. Vacant Grave 3:56 ------ 45:05 By 1990 death metal was already a legitimate player on the scene, but for me what was more interesting were those outfits who continued moshing on the boundary between thrash and death metal thus creating some of the finest works in the annals of the genre(s). Yes, you can have the best of both worlds like quite a few albums created in that "nomansland" so handsomely provedà This criminally unknown band are actually one of the first thrash metal practitioners having made their first steps into the ôunknownö in the distant 1985. They toiled through the undergroundÆs unpleasantness leaving a long trail of demos all the way to 1990 when fortune finally smiled at them giving them the chance to record their one and only album. There was very little left from their rough-around-the-edges speed/thrashy approach on their early efforts as the delivery has become way more polished and more intricate also adding death metal as a vital ingredient. In fact, this obscure opus is the finest technical thrash/death metal hybrid released in the US topping an impressive list which comprises AtheistÆs ôPiece of Timeö, RevenantÆs ôProphecies of a Dying Worldö, HellwitchÆs ôSyzygial Miscreancyö, IncubusÆ ôBeyond the Unknownö, GammacideÆs ôVictims of Scienceö, TerrahsphereÆs ôThird in Order of the Sunö, and SadusÆ ôSwallowed in Blackö, all released around the same time. It qualifies for the final in this category against a representative from the other side of The Atlantic, which happens to be the Germans BaphometÆs ôNo Answersö (1991). Yeah, one can only be perplexed, and also quite disillusioned, with the complete lack of logic of the music scene when the best effort from such a strong list is the least known of the lot. Paradoxes, paradoxesà But IÆm sure all of you out there have already gotten used to them having dedicated your lives to metal. So what can we find in this ôvacant graveö here? Quite a bit, I should say. The opener ôDeadly Assaultö alone is an encyclopaedia of spastic intricate thrashing starting with the most frenetic insane shredding around matching Hellwitch and the Finns Protected Illusion every bit of the way; ôthe madnessö also includes short galloping strides, sudden jazzy stoppages, and blistering screamy leads. ôWidespread Afflictionö ôspreadsö jarring hectic riff-patterns farÆn wide initially, and those remain in circulation intercepting the dominant furious headbanging sections. ôRoom for 1 Moreö will always find ôroom for 1 moreö stylish riff-stroke, but those come in abundance here as the band embark on a vigorous galloping ôjourneyö giving the 80Æs American metal heritage a hefty death/thrashy edge. ôGraven Scriptureö compensates for its relatively quiet beginning with vitriolic technical riffs which reach fever pitch in the second half jumping up and down to a hallucinogenic effect the drama enhanced by a really brutal deathy ending. ôI.O.H.ö takes one step further into the tender beginningsÆ section with a nice acoustic balladism that dangerously stretches beyond the 1-min mark, but the band make up before long with great stylish vortexes interrupted by very short quiet insertions in a carefully measured manner, a really nice touch probably used for the first time here. ôKiller Isntinctö unleashes the leads as inauguration the riffs emerging later to shatter the listenerÆs senses with the next in line portion of fast aggressive ôskirmishesö. ôBehind Barsö is a short sharp technical shock lasting for a bit over 2-min, and ôPremature Burialö follows pretty much the same model except that it prefers the very mazey schizoid ways of expression, the riffs coming with a tantalizing virtuoso flair. ôStreet Queenö borrows the theme from the cult horror film ôHalloweenö and plays with it for quite a bit turning it into a creepy thrashy tune before the guysÆ favourite gallops invade with full force leaving a small room for a lyrical balladic deviation. ôSupernatural Forceö puts technical death metal on the table recalling NocturnusÆ ôThe Keyö with its virtuous semi-lead/semi-shred sections also predating the complex exploits of acts like Martyr and Theory in Practice with its more ambitious progressive arrangements. An early technical death metal masterpiece which finds its match in the final ôEvil Deceiverö which creates minor annoyance with the overlong film sample at the beginning, but later thereÆs no letting up, the guys death/thrashing with the utmost precision and energy, a brilliant labyrinthine rhythm-section provided mid-way, with a brief showing at the end as well to finish this grand epic in the most alluring, compelling manner. What buried the guys so deep underground with outstanding music like that, will always remain a mystery. This opus is more technical than the Incubus and Revenant efforts, better structured and more coherent than the Hellwitch album, not as dark and brooding as the Sadus spell, and more polished and less nervously hectic than AtheistÆs first coming. The only really ordinary ingredient would be the vocals which are typical shouty death metal ones used extensively at the time. It pretty much follows its own path without borrowings from other works, the unique insertion of the gallops among the aggressive deathy thrashing a one-of-a-kind tool back in those days. It may have found it harder, though, to crawl on top if released in Europe, in the presence of such eye-openers like BaphometÆs ôNo Answersö again, InvocatorÆs ôExcursion Demiseö, PestilenceÆs ôTestimony of the Ancientsö, Protected IllusionÆs ôFestering Fairytalesö, Decision DÆs ôRazon de la Muerteö, MessiahÆs ôRotten Perishö, Maple CrossÆ ôThe 8th Day of Creationö, and Jester BeastÆs ôPoetical Freakscreamö, but at least would have been a strong contender on all counts. The landscape changed on US soil just a year later with death metal making a really strong statement in the face of AtheistÆs ôUnquestionable Presenceö and DeathÆs "Humanö, and the thrash/death metal hybridization starting moving towards the redundant side, not to mention the new aggro/groovy/numetal vogues that were settling in impertinently leaving little room for classic metal exploits. Sadus stood defiant for a bit with the superb ôVisions of Miseryö (1992), but after that it all headed straight down below. Sadly, Vacant Grave never responded to this new environment; they could have joined the still floating death metal cohorts, and could have even become the spokesmen of the technical aspect of the movement. Well, that scenario was never an option for them, I guess; they vanished unnoticed leaving a big question mark regarding their presence on the scene: ôVacant Grave? I donÆt think IÆve ever heard of that bandàö Well, whether in life or in death they were here, and their only quiet unobtrusive visitation on the scene is by all means a potential topic for a thesis on forgotten metal gems.                                                                                                     ▀▀░                                                                                                                ░▄▀                                  ▄█▀                                             ░▄           ░▐███░               ▀█░▄▄▄                    ▄░       ▀█░░                      ░           ▀▀░                                         ▄  ░                                          ▄     █          ▀                 ▄              ▄█▄ ▄ ██▄         ▀░▀     ▄         ▀                ▀░▀   ▀         ▀▀████████▀░                   ▀ ▄      ░                      ░░       ░▀██▀                    ▀██▄                ▄               ▐     ░      ░  █▀▄    ▐▓▓▌   █                    ▄   ▄▄       ░                    ▄▄▌█  ▄▄▓▓▓▀  ▄                      ▄ ▀   ████      ░                   ▐███▌  ░ ░                  ▄██▀     ▄▄██▄▄           ░           ▄▄███▄▄ ▄  ▓                         ▐▓▓▌  ░   ▓████▄        ▀          ▀    ▓█████▓  ▀ ▄                           ▀▓▓▓▄▄   ▐▓███ ▌                       ▌█████      ▀██▄   ▄                ░▄  ▀▀██▄▐████ ▌▐ ▌▓                ▓▐ ▌█▓███       ▐▓▓▌ ▀░▀           █    █  ░ ░▓▐████▄▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▄ ▐▐·▌▌▐▐ ▐ ▄█████    ▄▄▓▓▓▀                            ▓ ▓▐████ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▐▓▐▐ ▌▌▐▐ ▐ ▌█████ ▄█▓▀▀  ▄░ ░            ▄▄▄░      ▓     ░▐████▄▌▐▄▌▌▄▌▌▐ ▌▐▐▄▐▐▄▌▄▐▐▓▐▄▌█████ ▓     █               █████      ▐▄░   ▓▐████ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▐ ▐▐ ▌▌▐▐▓▐ ▌█████   ▓░   ▄         ▐▓    █▓███░    ▓▐█░▄▄  ▐████ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐█ ▐▐ ▌▌▐▐ ▐ ▌█████    ▄██▄ ▀ ▄      █▌    █████▓   ██▀█▀▀   ▐█▓██ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▐ ▐▐ ▌▌▐▐ ▐ ▌███▓█   ▐█▓██▓   ▀██▄ ▀██▀   █████▓░    ▓█▌    ▐████▓▌▐▄▌▌▄▌▌▄ ▌▐▐▄▐▐▓▌▌▐▐▄▐▄▌█████   ▐████▌    ▐▓▓▌▓█▌   ▄█▓███▄░     ▐█▄▓  ▐████ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▐ ▐▐ ▌▌▐▐ ▐ ▀█▓███   ▐████▌ ▄▄▓▓▓▀  █▓  ████████▄▄▓ ▄█████▌ ▐████ ▌▐ ▌▌ ▌▌▐ ▌▐▐ ▐▐ ▌▌▐▐▓▐ ▌█████   ▓████▌░ ▄▄   ▄▄█▄▄ ██████████████████████████████▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄     █████  ░██▓████▓██▓▓██████ █░█████▄▀█▄░████████▄▄▄▄▄██████▓████████░██████▄▄▄▄▄███████░▄██░█░█████████ ▓██▀█████▓░░ ░ ░ ░ ░ ░ ░░░▓███▓█████ ████████▓ ▓██▓▐████▓ ▓██ █░███ █░██████▓ ███▓▄▀█▓ ▓ ▓█████▓███████ ▓███ ░▄▄▄▓████▓ ▓████████▓ ▓██████▓ ▓████▓