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Dead Kosmonaut: Gravitas
Dead Kosmonaut - Gravitas Album Art Work

Dead Kosmonaut: Gravitas

Heavy Rock/Metal
4.5/5.0

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High Roller Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 29.01.2020 | Released: 31.01.2020

After a few personnel changes and the 2019 EP Rekviem, Sweden's Dead Kosmonaut returns with their second studio album, Gravitas. Influenced by pioneers like Jethro Tull, Judas Priest, Sabbath, and Dio, among others, Dead Kosmonaut once more brings their eclectic interpretation of classic heavy rock and metal. Some surprises include a full choir for the prelude, Dead Kosmonaut - Part I, and a church organ lingering about throughout, Dead Kosmonaut - Part II.

Dead Kosmonaut - Click For Larger Image

Dead Kosmonaut

As a heads up, if you want to skip my insightful thoughts about Gravitas, you can read a song by song explanation by bass player and principal songwriter Mattias Reinholdsson in this PDF document. Otherwise, my comments come based not upon those notes, but before ever reading them and listening to the album. Here's a few of my takeaways.

First, the song arrangements are quite clever and creative, bordering on progressive within a classic heavy rock and metal context, much like something Iron Maiden might do. (Reinholdsson brings this out in his own comments.) I found this notable within Iscariot's Dream, the slightly milder Hell-Heaven, and the opus, bit doomish, Dead Kosmonaut - Part II. Alternatively, songs such as The Spirit Divide and Vanitatis Profeta, while having some lightly technical moments, seem to turn more melodic hard rock groove. Second, Pelle Gustafsson is an exceptional vocalist with a clean melodic voice, and a range that never strains or goes screamo. Third, the guitar work is simply killer throughout this album. The twin guitar harmony is self-evident, but the solos roar with some flair, notably within The Spirit Divide and Vanitatis Profeta, but also Dead Kosmonaut - Part II, by example. By the way, the church organ gives the song something of a foreboding to sinister character, perhaps that doom rock element aforementioned.

All said, Dead Kosmonaut's Gravitas is both an entertaining and challenging album of classic, sometimes progish, heavy rock and metal. Easily recommended.


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The Bottom Line

Dead Kosmonaut's Gravitas is both an entertaining and challenging album of classic, sometimes progish, heavy rock and metal. Easily recommended.

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