Hymns of the Woodland (2021 EP; 19:06)
Beneath the Waves of Eternity (2023 album; 35:32)
line-up:
Houston -guitars, bass, vocals
Hunter - drums
Here in the Washington Territory the mail wagon does not come by often; therefore, after plowing the land ahead of planting or after harvesting, I like reading the newspaper several times, writing long letters to friends back East and listening to the music of Grot. Grot, which reportedly originates from the Town of Chicago, has provided a much needed distraction from my quotidian tasks. Their first work is called
Hymns of the Woodland is some 19 minutes of frenetic velocities, with a short mellow intro and outro. Given my affinity for traditional-classic raging black metal, I enjoy the moonmad shrieking. The guitar work moves at wrist-breaking speed but it is also melodic. I wonder how the hustle and bustle of life in the Town of Chicago, which reportedly now boasts a population of six thousand people, influences the music. Be that as it may, there is a second Grot recording called
Beneath the Waves of Eternity and it is some 35 minutes of raging black metal, too. Last month the mail wagon came to my farm and the delivery man told me that the vocals reminded him of the sound of the wind rustling through these forests, which is a curious way to think of the shrieking. The compositions function at blasting speeds, with tremolo picking spiraling throughout the frenzied tempo of the entire recording, with a small amount of slower segments. Once I learned to focus on the guitar melodies, then I was ready for the speed. I have enjoyed Grot so much that I have neglected to keep up with latest news about the political conflicts of the Northern and Southern States. It seems like the political infighting is as bad as ever, from what the mail wagon man tells me. Anyway, I better finish writing this letter now because the mail wagon is supposed to be here tomorrow morning. I would recommend Grot to zealous fanatics of high-speed, lo-fi tremolo-and-shriek black metal.
