Singer Steve Grimmett teamed up with axe slinger Steve Stine and they decided to call their new band (or project?) GrimmStine. With the help of Hat on bass and Dave Johnson on drums, they delivered this self titled album in 2009.
Opening with the wonderful little acoustic guitar intro Memory, which is little testament of what is to come. Following track 911 makes it clear that this is gonna be a metal album with no prisoners taken. Heavy riffing, the raspy voice of Grimmett, it almost borders in new metal territory. Happily next track Supernatural puts more emphasis on melody, while retaining that metal feel.
And this phenomenon happens more, with one track stressing the heavy guitars, and the other being more melodic and progressive if you will. Nothing overly complex, but a lot of ideas anyway.
Only with repeated play the album discloses it´s potency and pulls you in. The vocal lines start to make more sense and you start noticing the little details and breaks.
But for lovers of guitar based metal, there is a lot on offer. With 16 tracks and a playing time of over 77 minutes, it is value for money as well. Though maybe with a couple songs less, it would have made a bigger impact.
Personal play tips: Supernatural, To Catch A Killer,You´ll Never Know.