Grimmstine – Grimmstine

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It is funny how knowing whoever is ahead a project means a lot. I started to write this review without being aware of whom Grimmstine were. It is a true fact that I really liked them a lot on first listening – I like to listen more than one time a band before reviewing it. My first impression was that Grimmstine did a pretty good job in this self titled album. Then I decided to take a look at the press-release I received and knew that the legend Steve Grimmett was in charge of it. Man, it changed it all!

As we all know, Mr. Grimmett had to amputate his leg during a tour in Ecuador last year due to a general infection he’s got. This happened in April, and soon after in July the man was frontlining Bang Your Head Festival with Grim Reaper. Isn’t it awesome? The man’s got a big heart! We have to respect that.

Well, coming back to Grimmstine. This self titled album was recorded in 2008, exactly ten years ago, and it is very different from what he used to do with Grim Reaper, which is actually a pretty difficult thing to do because there is always something or other that remains. Not in Grimmstine. It is really a side project where Mr. Grimmett could do everything he could not or does not want to do in his prime band. There are 16 tracks in this Grimmstine debut album, but they are completely different from each other. Some bands write an album with lots of songs that makes us listen to only one, if you know what I am saying. It does not happen here. The guys took their chances to write 16 songs with different atmospheres, different contexts. The outcome is great.

Grimmstine are a band that sound pretty modern, not that annoying modern we are used to hear about, but a true evolution of 1980s Metal sonance. You do feel some touches of the 1980s, but you notice rapidly that it is not an album from that time. That’s the best thing from Grimmstine. If it is not a breakthrough album, it does good in your player. Grimmstine pleases because of the good quality of their songs and the honesty of Mr. Grimmett and his Metal crew. It is a pitty that it was an album that was so underlooked. Thanks to Dissonance Records which is correcting this flaw. And a big hail to the man!

Grimmstine was reissued on March 16th via Dissonance Records.

Track Listing:

  1. Memory
  2. 911
  3. Supernatural
  4. Got Nothing But Time
  5. To Catch a Killer
  6. You’ll Never Know
  7. It’s Over
  8. Prisoner
  9. You Give Me Love
  10. Straight as an Arrow
  11. ’Til They Take My Wings
  12. Take This Air
  13. Afraid of the Dark
  14. This Don’t Look Like Love To Me
  15. To Sing A Lullabye (Immy’s Song)
  16. 2 Steps Behind (bonus track)

Watch “You’ll Never Know” video here: