GRUESOME Silent Echoes

Gruesome was conceived as a homage to Chuck Schuldiner and Death, not as a cover band, but as a group dedicated to creating original music inspired by their legacy. Their debut, Savage Land, became one of my mostplayed death metal releases when it arrived in 2015; their 2018 followup, Twisted Prayers, however, never fully reached the same heights.

With Silent Echoes, the band returns at full strength, delivering what is unquestionably their finest work to date. This album is an extraordinarily focused and reverent tribute to Death’s 1991 milestone Human. Every aspect, songwriting, musicianship, and production reflects a deep understanding of what made that era so special, while still offering fresh and compelling material rather than mere imitation.

Gruesome never aimed to reinvent the wheel, and Silent Echoes doesn’t pretend otherwise. Matt Harvey’s vocal performance channels Schuldiner’s distinctive style with remarkable precision, the guitars and bass deliver a nonstop flow of catchy yet intricate riffs and harmonies, and drummer Gus Rios stands out as the album’s true powerhouse. His dynamic, razorsharp playing elevates the entire record.

The songwriting is excellent throughout—more than a nostalgic exercise, it feels vibrant and fully realized. The production deserves particular praise: the band has managed to capture the unmistakable character of the early ’90s while ensuring everything sounds modern, polished, and relevant today.

To my ears, this comes strikingly close to perfection.