In this Unknown Music Thursday Blog, we are going to get into the music of Earthen Grave.  This is their self title and first release from this band. Earthen Grave is a Chicago base doom to the classic old school metal band.  Ron Holzner, who is the bassist, was with the band Trouble.  It was founded in 2008 by Jason Muxlow, who is one of the guitar players.  There is an unique twisted on this band.  They have Rachel Barton Pine.  She plays the electric violin.  The band has released their EP and now this first full length record.  There is not much more on the history of this young band.  Let us get into the music.

Track List

Earthen Grave

The opening track has sound effects or sampling of church bells with a little guitar feedback.  I love the creepy guitar riff like a Black Sabbath style along with the drums and bass playing.  I love the bass line during the singing part.  Mark is a perfect fit for this music.  I love the lyrics.  I did not know how the violin would fit into the music but it is perfect it.  There is some awesome music.  I love the pick up towards the end of the song with a short guitar solo.  This is a great opening track for this record.

Life Carries On

I love the play back and forth on the guitar side of things.  The drums and bass are solid.  There is a nice guitar solo at the beginning of the song.  Mark comes in singing shortly after that solo.  He has a different tone of singing than the opening track.  I love the pace of this song.   I love how they are using the violin in this song.  It almost echoes the singing and guitar.  I love how they put the violin at the front towards the end as a solo and guitar solo shortly after that.  I love how both guitars sound a little different.  I loving the trade-off solos towards the end of the song.

Burning A Sinner

There is a classic 1970’s guitar riff with the music having the same feeling.  Mark’s singing is honorary those legend in the 1970’s.  I love the back up vocals.  It was a perfectly place and fits the song.  It is not focused.  There is some good lyrics on this song.  This song sounds like something that would be from Deep Purple or Black Sabbath record.  Nice touch on the guitar break and solo towards the middle of the song.

Blood Drunk

I love the acoustic guitar and the violin playing over the top of it.  I love the calming drums and bass.  Mark and Rachel’s singing are spot on to the song.  This is a pretty calming song.  This should be their first single off this record.  I love how they pick up the pace to heaviest part of the song.  I love the music.  Earthen Grave looped back to the slower part after the heavy part.  I love the time changes on this song.  There is a pretty nice guitar solos at the end of the song.  Both guitars are hitting it together hard.  There is a nice short violin solo.  Nice ending to the song.

Dismal Times

I love the drums and guitar action at the beginning.  There is a nice acoustic guitar with the drums and bass.  The violin plays over the top of the music.  The heavy guitars roar in with Mark screaming over it.  I love his melody on this song.  I love the lyrics and music on this song.  This is a pretty good record so far.  Mark is showing off as a singer on this song.  I really love how they used the violin on this song.  There is a nice time changes to the song.  There is some nice violin action at the end of the song.  Rachel is playing is awesome and great work.  “Dismal Times” has a great ending.

Tilted World

I love the trade-off from the guitar player and bassist.  There is some awesome riffs at the beginning.  I have always love the wah wah pedal on the bass.  I know I over use it when I play my bass.  I love the music on this song.  There is some great lyrics and singing from Mark.  The back up singing is good but I just feel this song and how Mark sings.  The band can do without back up vocals.  This is my thought not the bands.  I love the acoustic guitar with violin playing over the top.  I love the mood changes in all their songs.  I love the ending to this song.

Beneath A Shovel Load

I love the feedback guitar that turns into a guitar solo with the acoustic guitar in the background.  The drums and  bass are solid back up and support to the acoustic guitar.  I love the snap into the main riff.  Mark’s singing and melody are awesome.  He wrote some nice lyrics.  I love the pace of the song.  This is a nice driving song.  This is my favorite song so far off this record.  I could see this song being a single off this great record.  I love the double bass at the end of the song from the drums.  We need more double bass.  I love the guitar and violin solos at the end of “Beneath A Shovel Load.”

Fall In

I love the drumming at the beginning with nice touch simple bass line.  The guitar playing is awesome.  I love the main riff for the versus.  Mark kind sounds like Glen Danzing on this song.  This is the first time I kind of say he sounds like someone.  He has his unique way of singing that is a good thing.  This is a very good song and I enjoyed it.  I just feel this song is a little too long.  I love the effects on the guitars and the hard-hitting drums towards the end of the song.  Nice touch on the drums and bass towards the back half of the song to set up the trade up guitar solos.  I love the fading out guitar playing end.

Relentless

I love the guitar work at the beginning.  This is a nice driving song.  The drums and bass are solid.  He does sound like Ozzy of Black Sabbath but he has the same melody and rhythm on his vocals.  He has a kind of Glen Danzing sound again.  The more I think about his singing.  It kind of reminds of Riot “Thundersteel” singing.   I love music changes and the ending to this song.

Death On The High Seas

Here is the longest song off this record.  I love the violin playing at the beginning.  I love how she put some distorted on it that has a really nice effect.  I love the pace and the music on this song so far.  The music does kind of sound like the seas or the water hitting a ship.  Mark has some nice singing on “Death On The High Seas.”  There is a nice guitar solo towards the middle of the song.  I love the violin playing at the mid-point of the song.  I love the fast pace of the song just past the mid-point of the song.  It is almost like they are in storm on the high seas.  Earthen Grave has done a great job on the music.  I love the ending.

Death Is Another Word

“Death Is Another Word” is their first single off this record.  I love the guitar playing that fades into the song.  I love the guitar playing at the beginning.  The drums and bass are solid.  I love the main riff with Mark singing over the top of it.  I love the pace of this song.  Mark is singing great with some good lyrics.  Mark sounds like Ozzy during the chorus part.  Earthen Grave has put some thought behind this song.  I love the fade out for the end of the song and the record before the live bonus track.

Stargazer (Live)

This is a classic Rainbow song.  I love how they use the violin on this song.  It is well placed.  The music is right on.  Mark is singing awesome of this classic Rainbow song.  Mark has a little Dio in him.  I believe Dio would approve Mark’s singing  on this song.  Earthen Grave has nailed this song.  I love how the violin is playing the classic Blackmore guitar solo along with one of the guitar players.   For being a live recording, the production team did a great job of recording this song.

Current Line Up

• Mark Weiner – Vocals
• Tony Spillman – Guitar
• Jason Muxlow – Guitar
• Ron Holzmer – Bass
• Rachel Barton Pine – Eletric Violin
• Chris Wozniak – Drums

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.earthengrave.com

Twitter:  @earthengrave

In closing, this is my first post under “Unknown Music Thursday” on my blog.  I am honor to have put this band’s music as my first post.  I received an email from Bandcamp to check out this band’s music.  This is how I discovered this band.  There is many bands in the past that use a violin player in the classic rock.  There is not too many hard rock and metal bands use violin player.  I am pretty impressed with the music and how they used the violin in their music.  Rachel is awesome player.  I have always love Ron’s bass playing in Trouble and he did not disappoint on this record.  Chris is a great drummer and Earthen Grave has picked a great one.  Tony and Jason are some guitar players and they know how to write their solos.  Earthen Grave should be proud of the music they put on this record.  They are upcoming band and I wish them the best of luck in the future.  I will be picking up this record and see them live.  I highly recommend you checking out this band, if you are hard rock and metal fans.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser