Album review: Grand Magus – Sunraven

Now in their 25th year, Grand Magus are older than most of the classic metal records that sit so near to their heart were when they started. Even after so long at the furnace, and having covered so much ground, the Swedish trio remain a totem to everything right and true about good, proper, old fashioned heavy metal, without being arch, or knowing, or being silly about it.

Thus, it’s both absolutely no surprise and joyously reassuring that on Sunraven they’ve once again got their feet in the point where the blues of Black Sabbath and Judas Priest’s sharp edges crossed over, some point in the second half of the ’70s. Opener Skybound, all double-bass drumming and muscly riffs and lyrics about overcoming life’s gristle, is classic Magus, while The Wheel Of Pain shows how good they are with a bit of bottom-end, Iommi-an guitar.

Here, and on the excellent Winter Storms, you’re also reminded just how good a songwriter mainman JB is as well. This, on top of being an incredible singer – a more gruff, street-level Dio, perhaps – and a man who simply cannot be bested for beautifully warm, liquid guitar solos or melodic riffs. On the more reflective The Black Lake, going from plaintive intro to bluesy main riff, he drips with soul, while on the faster, chunkier Hour Of The Wolf, he sounds absolutely charged up.

The main thing about Grand Magus, of course, is that they really, really mean it. Which is why, though occasionally things here can feel familiar, it’s still a banger. Because to hear people doing something they love over and again (very well, it should be noted) is worth far more than searching aimlessly for something new when their heart isn’t in it. And the only thing in Grand Magus’ hearts is metal. Why do you need anything else?

Verdict: 3/5

For fans of: Green Lung, Orange Goblin, Black Sabbath

Sunraven is out now via Nuclear Blast