Death Racer - From Gravel to Grave

Angry Metal Guy 60

I’m not sure what is happening in 2024, but the motor racing industry keeps making its way into metal albums. The first of the year was the surprisingly good self-titled release from I Am the Intimidator. Austria’s Death Racer continues this trend with their debut album, From Gravel to Grave. While I Am the Intimidator focused on the final moments of racing legend Dale Earnhardt, From Gravel to Grave explores racing globally. That said, the overall theme is the same: the lives taken in this high-octane sport. But, Death Racer does it a little differently, incorporating some late ’80s black, speed, and thrash into the mix. The result is a filthy, gear-grinding effort that feels like an insane mix of old-school NWOBHM, Exciter, Bulldozer, modern-day Darkthrone, and a touch of Bathory. It’s an ugly mix that seems to have faded away since the ’90s but these road warriors care little about that. So, let’s pump that motherfucker gasoline (again).

According to the promotional materials, Death Racer came about due to Razor’s song “Deathrace,” off their impressive debut record, Executioner’s Song. Though there are few comparisons between From Gravel to Grave and Razor’s early days, the inspiration is still there. With gnarly rasps and screams buried behind the guitars and drums, Death Racer focuses on bass-heavy riffs that speed, thrash, and drag bloody knuckles across the asphalt. Lyrically, the album ventures from the absurd (“Traumatized in Traffic Jam Ejection”) to the whiplashing (“Racers of Death”); from the lost lives in infamous races (“Imola ’94 (From Gravel to Grave)”) to notorious race tracks (“Nordschleife”). The vibes range from fun and upbeat NWOBHM tracks to relentless black/thrash charges and sinister, building doom. It’s a wild ride that surprised me regardless of how many times I’ve heard this style before.

From Gravel to Grave by Death Racer

“Motormentor” begins the album with a bass lead that pushes through a vile, unpolished black/speed charge. The rasping, screaming vocals hide behind the guitars as they spit and vomit all over the track. After the guitars and drums rip and tear with a relentless attitude, the song deviates as the bass resurfaces to drag this thing to its finish. While a solid opener, it has nothing on the pace and attitude of “Inverted Crossroads.” Though hilariously titled, this track slays. After opening with a simple sound byte, the drums take off with a bone-shattering display of power. The song alternates between this colossal performance and a smooth groove before giving way to the bass guitar. Then, the bass begins a new climb that erupts into the mightiest display of aggression on the album.

“Racers of Death,” “Traumatized in Traffic Jam Ejection,” and the closer, “S.M. Death Worship,” are other enjoyable ones. “Racers of Death” charges off the line with a slick, old-school speed lick that fuses with some NWOBHM character. It has some clever stop-start moments where the bass and drums rebuild the song before the guitars come crashing down, emphasized by the vocalist’s hacking phlegm. “S.M. Death Worship” is another bruiser that uses the bass and drums to create new builds even when the tires are no longer on their rims. It powers through speedy licks, and old-school transitions, and even shows off some big Bathory-esque clean vocals during its six-minute runtime. Even with those cool oddities, “Traumatized in Traffic Jam Ejection” is the most unique track on the album. Though it only sports spoken-word passages, its dragging-knuckle attitude is a pleasing break from the black/speed/thrash onslaught. It also uses these basic elements to introduce new variations of the riffage, ascending with each iteration.

As it seems to be happening to me lately, From Gravel to Grave is another record that is better on its back half than the front. Though there are plenty of stellar tracks, others don’t quite grab me with the same urgency. For example, the two opening tracks, “Motormentor” and “Nordschleife.” They aren’t bad but they can’t hold a Formula One cup over the others. And while “Imola ’94 (From Gravel to Grave)” is interesting, I prefer it skips the effect-laden guitars in its introduction and gets on with it. For a debut album crafted in a style as old as Steel, From Gravel to Grave is memorable enough to keep me coming back. It’s a filthy record with ridiculous lyrics and concepts, but I can get behind it for what it is. So, if you like your metal dripping with burned oil, you should check this out.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Dying Victims Productions | Bandcamp
Websites: facebook.com/deathracerspeedmetal
Releases Worldwide: July 26th, 2024

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