CENTENARY “Into the Graveless Beyond”

Independent, 2019

Music: Death Metal

Website: https://www.facebook.com/detroitchainsawmetal/?fref=ts

Duration: 33:25 minutes (9 tracks)

Country: United States

“Into the Graveless Beyond” is the first full-length album by Detroit’s CENTENARY. The group previously released the “Ghastly Graves” demo in 2016 and “…Where No Lives Matter” EP in the following year. Their EP title is somewhat an indicator of what to expect from the band. The EP title is a pun on the “Black Lives Matter” catch phrase that went around a couple years ago, except it may also draw on the UNLEASH album “Where No Life Dwells.”

The UNLEASHED play on words makes sense because this group definitely has a Swedish death metal influence. On “Into the Graveless Beyond,” listeners will hear plenty of odes to early ‘90s Swedish death metal—GRAVE, DISMEMBER, ENTOMBED and certainly UNLEASHED. “You Axed For It” and “Exploding Casket Syndrome” recall UNLEASHED in their razor-sharp ax attack. Album opener “Phantasm Spasm” even breaks down in an UNLEASHED fashion at the end of the track.

CENTENARY brings to mind the old guard of Sweden, but they also have a definite grind sound. This influence is most apparent in the vocals. They move back and forth between a low-end, dry growls to a crusty scream. They approach their vocals in a similar manner to EXHUMED. While extreme metal like death and grind vocals may prove hard to discern, it’s not really that difficult on this album.

“Ghastly Graves” appeared on the first two recordings and it appears again. I haven’t heard the previous versions, but it’s understandable their using it again. First of all, this is their first full length. Second, it’s a bad ass tune! From the opening funeral dirge to the massive guitar tones, harmonies, blast beats, and sound samples—this is one mean mofo! Speaking of sound samples, there are a few placed throughout the album that add to the “ghastly” atmosphere. I can’t place the movies these clips came from, but the clips sound cool and appropriate. There is the poltergeist clip on “Phantasm Spasm,” and creaking doors in the wind with howling wolves and a cat meowing (probably a black cat) on “Ghastly Graves.” There is also a tolling bell on this track.

CENTENARY isn’t exactly reinventing the wheel with “Into the Graveless Beyond.” As this review shows, the band makes their influences known. The power of what their doing is dampened a little due to the fact that there has been a massive revival in old school Swedish death metal with bands like GATECREEPER. I would say what separates CENTENARY from these bands is their age, they’ve been privy to this style much longer than the younger bands, the production and grind influence. “Into the Graveless Beyond” doesn’t pay any mind to clean sounds…this is filthy, raw and crusty!

Tracklist: