Into the Mausoleum

Not to be confused with the same-named Swedish proto-metal quartet, this Graveyard is a Spanish quintet from Barcelona that specializes in traditional death metal. The band’s debut EP, Into the Mausoleum, first arrived in 2007 as a demo. After these songs were heavily circulated throughout the European metal underground, Graveyard added an intro recording (the haunting, ambient “Entrance”), and an outro (the cinematic “Under the Shadow of Death”), plus a cover of Death’s “Zombie Ritual” before giving the demo a proper release. But even with a demo's muddy, lo-fi fidelity, the title track plays with Gusi’s rapid-fire drums blasting under the distorted detonations of guitarists Mark and Bastard. As Julkarn’s deep rumbling bass can only be detuned so much, he growls foreboding lyrics with an even more abysmal bellow that takes center stage. The following “Ritual” shifts gears into overdrive, showcasing the high torque and horsepower of Gusi’s percussive skills as the guitarists’ feral riffs try to keep up. The standout track “One of Them” charges with the galloping velocity of warhorses.