The third album of the series of GRACELESS re-releases is last year’s album “Chants From Purgatory”, also complete with two extra songs exclusive to the CD edition. Of course this release leads to the general question whether it makes sense to launch a re-release just a year after an album was originally unleashed, but it’s not my duty here to judge that. So I concentrate my efforts on the music on “Chants From Purgatory”. And that’s more of a pleasure for sure. GRACELESS again did a more than just convincing album. They even developed their style and added a desolate touch to their way of Doom Death Metal, making it even more unique. Of course we still find some more conventional songs like ‘Giants’ or ‘Saint’ who are already great stuff. It’s songs like the title track that make “Chants From Purgatory” a really stunning and more than fantastic album. This title track comes along with some ideas that are more in modern Crust style. Or take ‘The Gates Of The Gallows’, a song with great guitar work and fine and diversified breaks. This one often summons the same demons that ASPHYX do. Another masterpiece is ‘This Ends With The World In Ruins’ (fantastic title already), that is very atmospheric and gloomy and has great, somehow devastating guitar harmonies. I feel reminded of my favourite HYPOCRISY song ‘Apocalypse’ at times. But it’s ‘Nyctophilia’ that shows that GRACELESS can outdo themselves and the Doom Death Metal scene. The atmosphere here is absolutely unbelievable and reminds me more of newer Black Metal acts. ‘Blood Of The Brave’ has some great piercing guitar harmonies again. And the final ‘Time Has Come For Us All’ sounds pretty much like the title promises: the end of mankind made music. Desolate music. Heavy! Listening to “Chants From Purgatory”, I would surely have made this one my “Album Of The Year” in 2022, if I only heard it before. In other words: just listen to this album and find out if I am right. And in case you’re looking for a new favourite band, take GRACELESS into concern! The extra songs of the new CD version of “Chants From Purgatory” are also really worth listening to. First we have ‘Apostate (Sacrifice In Blood)’ that seems to be exclusive to this version, and, despite being more on the conventional side, fits quite well to the atmosphere of the album. And finally we find the song that was originally released on the split 7” GRACELESS did with REVEL IN FLESH two years ago. ‘Malignant Seed’ might not fit into the picture, as this song is old school as fuck, yet it is finest old school Death Metal and thus worth checking out. And having! Enough of praising GRACELESS and “Chants From Purgatory” for now, visit them at www.facebook.com/graceless.osdm or check the company responsible www.facebook.com/listenablerecs