| Musical Style: Heavy Metal | Produced By: Wout Wormser |
| Record Label: Soundmass | Country Of Origin: Germany |
| Year Released: 2026 | Artist Website: Adorned Graves |
| Tracks: 5 | Rating: 85% |
| Running Time: 25:13 |
Adorned Graves nails its old school metal mission with the September of 2026 release to its aptly entitled Soundmass Records second consecutive EP Dream II. Released in follow up to 85% Angelic Warlord reviewed June of 2025 predecessor Dream I (also Soundmass), Dream II finds the Kaiserslauten, Germany based group continuing to eschew the thrash mixed with progressive and doom tendencies to its earlier material for a sound I identify with as traditional metal on the melodic side. The new Adorned Graves material, for instance, resides upon an accessible foundation that sidesteps the seven to nine minute epics common to the past for songwriting mostly in the four to five minute range.
Adorned Graves remains the project of brothers Cailen Leif (rhythm guitar & bass) and Deafon (drums) Graever and Wout Wormser (lead guitar). The trio is renowned for going the ‘vocalist by committee’ route, as found on full length efforts The Earth Hath Opened Her Mouth (90% review) and Wouta (85%) from 2023 and 2025, respectively, in which it partners with Dale Thompson (Bride) and Herbie Langhans (Seventh Avenue) among others. Dream II follows suite from featuring not only Thompson and Langhans but also Craig Cairns (Metal Assault, Tailgunner), whom participated on Wouta and Dream I, and Fede Vogliolio (Lex Talion), lending his abilities to Wouta.
EP commences with “Disaster”, an aggressive assault of puncturing riffs and harpooning catalyst in which Cairns exhibits an expansive classic tenor delivery not that far removed from Todd Michael Hall (Riot V) and Rob Rock (Impellitteri). Intense gang shouted backing vocals and pulverizing low-end hints of old school Deliverance mixed with early Saint. Wormser builds upon the assertive authority with his in your face soloing. Lyric snippet:
Wounded vanity and pride kill unity and compassion.
The kingdom of the night will fall again and not endure.
Shared values are dismantled to archive one's own plans.
Anger lies beneath coming to the surface
Resentment - leads us to war!!!
Disciple - what are you fighting for?
World annihilation - is what we are getting for!
“On The Edge” allows Adorned Graves to put its creativity on display. Song opens its first minute solemnly to wispy acoustic guitar and sober keyboards to impart of the Gothic. Anthem-like is the feel as constrain gives way, an epic metal resonance prevailing found in distinguished overtones and medieval tinged refrain imparting of the indelible. Thompson complements with his at times lower register and rumbling and others high end but cutting vocal form. Lyric snippet:
Light a candle and make it burn, we march together and through patience we will learn.
You will know the truth, look into in my eyes, be off and separate the truth from lies.
LORD give us fire and I will make it burn, hold it up on parting ways we take the turn.
Thrive … fail … on the edges of our trail … of our trail
Rise … fall … on the edge of the blade … on the blade
Albums title track embodies eighties melodic metal and hard rock. It burnishes out of the gate, glistening with its reflective guitar harmonies and silky rhythms to embrace the commercial, but not deserting the insistent as Deafon Graever transfuses striking double kick drum and Langhans his signature gravelly and melodic mid-ranged vocal register. This one would sound at home on any recent Stryper comeback album. Lyric snippet:
Dream one (I) is a song for encouragement and food for thought.
For tomorrow is another day, leave your burdens all behind.
Don't lose the dream for it shows a path for a different view.
You're the one who can expand your own mind.
Dream too, be inspired, awaken with an enchanting view.
Dream eye, look to the sky - salvation's coming to you.
Adorned Graves revisits progressive territory on “Light Side Of The Grave”. Song opens to a minute of ethereal guitars and guarded narration ahead of turning into a trudging plodder accented by Vogliolio’s lower register borderline baritone delivery. A swarthy Gothic meets the doom like attribute proceeds to hold sway, ascertained in the unsettled guitars and uncanny keyboards building upon the disconsolate themes. Yet, any potential repetitive leanings end up sidestepped from the chilling melody allowing reiterated play. Lyric snippet:
Eternally we fell, gazing into empty voids
At a cold and rainy stone.
I pray that one day: you`ll lift your eyes to the sky
And you won´t drown … don´t drown anymore.
And you´ll see … the light side
You´ll see the light side
The light side of the grave
EP closes to spacey metal piece “Starry Night”. It proves disparate in capacity, transposing between atmospheric acoustic moments woven with chill narration and others of an enterprising form in which metal guitars coordinated with Cairns’s soaring vocals. Song lightens for melodic harmonies covering the mid-point instrumental run. Lyric snippet:
In the beginning there was light.
The stars are coloured and they twinkle in many colours.
And there is still light from the beginning of it all.
We are connected to the most far space in the universe
to the marvelous miracles of our galaxy.
We´re like salt in the sea - a taste of eternity.
We are frail and we are free - shining lights of gravity.
Dream II equates to another strong EP from Adorned Graves. Songwriting impresses as somewhat more varied than Dream I, albeit upholding the quality whether traditional metal, melodic metal and hard rock or of a progressive Gothic nature. The trio of Cailen Leif and Deafon Graever and Wout Wormser continue to be adept performers and songwriters with the host of talented vocalists lending further value. Combine Dream I and Dream II into a single ten song album and we are looking at a score of 90% minimum, keeping in mind I grade EPs on a tighter curve.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing: “Disaster” (3:52), “On The Edge” (5:04), “Dream II” (3:50), “Light Side Of The Grave” (8:01), “Starry Night” (5:06)
Musicians
Cailen Leif Graever - Rhythm Guitar, Vocals & Lyrics
Deafon Graever - Drums, Vocals & Lyrics
Wout Wormser - Lead Guitar
Additional Musicians
Craig Cairns - Lead Vocals
Dale Thompson - Lead Vocals
Herbie Langhans - Lead Vocals
Fede Vogliolo - Lead Vocals
