There are few bands who call themselves Death Metal that encompass all the values and beliefs of the genre quite as much as Grave. Throughout their long and often turbulent career the band have remained true to their Death Metal roots with deviation or any dilution to their ideals or sound, and what a fitting way to celebrate the bands twentieth anniversary than with a new album? But is ‘Dominion VIII’ a fitting addition to the back catalogue or a nail in the coffin (excuse the pun) of Grave?

Grave have always had a philosophy of ‘what you see is what you get’, and what you get is Death Metal packed to bursting point of brutality and darkness. This time around however Grave appear to have taken a retrospective look over their entire career to blend 'Dominion VIII' with the savagery of 'Into The Grave' with the sheer heaviness of 'Soulless'. 'Dominion VIII' is in fact the sum of all the parts that have made Grave what they are. To say the albums direction comes as a surprise would be a lie, as much of the foundations 'Dominion VIII' builds upon were laid with the release of 'As Rapture Comes'.

It's hard to see Grave breaking down new doors with this release or making converts of anymore not already a fan. None the less 'Dominion VIII' does deliver a punch and is Death Metal in the true Stockholm style. It maybe nearly twenty years since Nihilist, Carnage or Corpse (Grave in their first incarnation) unleashed their ungodly demos on the world but it is hard to find a latter day exponent of the dark arts capable of producing Death Metal to the standard of Grave, irrespective of clichés and progressive sluggishness. 'Dominion VIII' should be enjoyed for what it is, Death Metal, pure, simple and as rotten to it's core.