| Musical Style: Hard Rock | Produced By: |
| Record Label: Forefront / Girder | Country Of Origin: USA |
| Year Released: 1995 / 1997 / 2025 | Artist Website: |
| Tracks: 13 / 11 | Rating: 85% / 80% |
| Running Time: 53:08 / 41:28 |
Grammatrain more than holds its own in the nineties era Seattle sound scene as a legitimate competitor to Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots and Alice In Chains. With its name drawn from a poem drummer Paul Roraback wrote about his grandmother entitled Grandma’s Train, Grammatrain came together when Roraback joined forces with brother and bassist Dalton Roraback and lead vocalist/guitarist Pete Stewart. The newly formed power trio recorded in 1994 a self-titled three-song demo ahead of signing with Zoe Worldwide Records and releasing the same year its second demo (also self-titled but full length) made up of four studio tracks and six live acoustic songs.
Seattle sound loosely defines as ‘a fusion of punk rock and heavy metal with an emphasis on distorted guitars, angst-filled lyrics about social alienation, and an unkempt, anti-consumerist fashion aesthetic’. Grammatrain checks most of the boxes, although with a sound I identify with as hard rock as opposed to heavy metal and any punk rock residuals understated, the group is not that far down the road from the sites style guidelines. Credit Grammatrain equally for manner in which its faith based and uplifting prose flies in the face of said angst-filled and socially alienated lyrical sensibilities.
Grammatrain does not impress as a three-cords-and-a-cloud-of-dust straight from the garage grunge band. Rather, what we have in Grammatrain is the real deal, with its initial demo material giving prominence to the melodic but technical songwriting (at times touching upon the progressive) and practiced musicianship (each of its members is an above the line performer) to compete with the top acts of the genre. Any potential Grammatrain hints at on its demos fully realizes and takes to the next level on its Forefront Records full-length follow up releases Lonely House and Flying from 1995 and 1997, respectively.
Long out of print, Lonely House and Flying were re-mastered (crediting Rob Colwell of Bombworks Sound) and reissued by Girder Records in August of 2025 on CD (300 copies) and Limited Edition Vinyl (also 300 copies). CD versions include a professionally done 12-page booklet and Limited Edition Collectors Card, while vinyl comes with a double-sided inner sleeve with lyrics (noting the work of Scott Waters of No Life Til Metal Graphics either way).
Lonely House sees Grammatrain exhibiting its artful proclivity for intricate but melodic songwriting in the six-minute range. Albums title track is one apt example, muscling to ethereal feedback, distorted bass and hard rock guitars but echoing of unequivocal melody, as is “Psycho”, offbeat and eerie to start and corpulently guitar grounded rest of the way but also luring in a commercial sense. The two find Stewart punctuating his passionate mostly middle register but occasionally reaching for a high note vocal style.
Maintaining the six-minute penchant is “Need” with its refuse to extricate from your mind ballad like tincturing that reinforces equal parts acoustic and that bluesy alongside Paul Roraback’s ingenious timekeeping and “Picture Pains” as album heaviest in playing up the doom like with slogging riffs and portent melody upholding a catchy riff centering. Generous instrumental portions on the two allow Stewart to unveil his dexterous lead guitar work.
Abbreviated but no less able is “Believe”, powerfully joining flaying bass and strident rhythm guitar but convincingly shoring up brusquely woven hooks, and “Execution”, of similar borderline metal form in delivering a Snakes In The Playground (Bride) like walloping guitar crunch within a hook decisive context. Equally commendable is the mirthful “Drown” with its bounding bass and melodic hard rock guitars (the commercial imprints cannot be denied) not to mention graceful “Undivine Election” from its enticing acoustic lacings and reserved rhythm guitar (of an august and elegant variety).
A step down but not falling off a cliff is opener “She Don’t Know”, a two and half minute heavy rocker notable for its modern guitar tones, soaring vocals and riled up hooks. Likewise, “Sick Of Will” is also abbreviated at three minutes but ups energy with its punk like velocity and volatile metal riffs. Whereas both are good, I find each a bit difficult to identify from upping the modern influences a bit much for my taste, although I see others embracing them.
Only skip buttons are acoustic pieces “Humanity” and “Apathy” that while far from bad seem out of place in lacking the variety and spice to albums finer material. Perhaps if imbued with some bluesy leads I might take to them. I also pass on “Jerky Love Song”, which fails to go anywhere with its minute long cacophony of punk like anger.
Final verdict: When factoring strength to albums eight best songs, I am assigning a well-earned 85% grade despite hitting the skip button several times.
I identify with Flying as more modern and touch less progressive compared to Lonely House, albeit it is not without its share of choice material. Opener “Jonah”, for instance, proves a short but punchy modern hard rocker innate to buzz saw guitars and forthright hooks, while follow up cut “Less Of Me” is in similar vein with every bit immediate rhythms but diverges with acoustic underpinnings. I also embrace “Rocketship”, two and half minutes of convulsive vim bordering on speed metal with exhilarative riffs and electrified timekeeping.
Also in a heavy rocking modern format but ranking with my album favorites is “Sell Your Soul”, commercially aligning an infectious ‘sell your soul, sell your soul for free’ chorus with eclectic bass impinged instrumental moments, and “Fuse”, creative with its stop and start aligning of intense low end impelled verse sections and an explosive metal guitar edged chorus. Either way, latter period Galactic Cowboys comes to mind.
Grammatrain is not afraid to explore the lengthier side to its songwriting but within a five-minute context. “Pain” represents one of my choice tracks in such regard with its distorted bass, crunchy guitars and at times whispered vocals, as is “Found In You” but in a laid back, easy going format propelled by reserved acoustic signatures and distant rhythm guitar. Both are inherent to huge melodies of a radio friendly form- a Grammatrain staple! I also lean towards albums decelerated title track in light of its funky guitars and airy vocal melodies echoing of King’s X.
I find Flying hit and miss when it takes an acoustic turn. On one hand, “For Me” is fantastic from giving prominence to equal parts warmly tinctured and melancholic within context of another magnanimous melody; on the other, “Peace” brings to mind Lonely House numbers “Humanity” and “Apathy” as another acoustic rocker that while not bad lacks the detail to capture my imagination. Another skip button is “Spiderweb” in which the group emphasizes the modern signatures a bit much for my tastes, noting how I see others taking to it.
Final Verdict: Flying shines with enough top-flight moments to warrant an 80% grade.
As a package, Lonely House and Flying represent a well-honed duo of Seattle sound flavored hard rock albums that while imbued with alternative elements are not that far removed from the Angelic Warlord style guidelines, with my point being those into straightforward hard rock and metal should find a lot to identify with either. Grammatrain proves adept at composing material innate to crystal clear melodies certain to have you returning time and again, which leaves me surprises mid to late nineties FM radio was not paying attention. Whereas skip buttons are uncommon, I see those whose tastes trend towards the modern side embracing material I might pass one. If a fan of the Seattle sound or interested in something different that is exceedingly well written and performed but rocks heavily, the Girder Records reissues to Lonely House and Flying are highly recommended.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing (Lonely House): “She Don’t’ Know” (2:33), “Believe” (3:36), “Execution” (3:56), “Lonely House” (5:43), “Psycho” (5:42), “Sick Of Will” (3:02), “Need” (6:28), “Drown” (3:56), “Undivine Election” (3:35),“Jerky Love Song” (:40), “Humanity” (4:24), “Picture Pains” (6:32), “Apathy” (2:59)
Track Listing (Flying): “Jonah” (2:42), “Less Of Me” (2:48), “Flying” (5:11), “Rocketship” (2:25), “Peace” (4:13), “Pan” (4:47), “Sell Your Soul” (3:22), “Fuse” (3:48), “Spiderweb” (3:16), “Found In You” (4:44), “For Me” (4:10)
Musicians
Pete Stewart - Lead Vocals & Guitars
Dalton Roraback - Bass
Paul J. Roraback - Drums, Percussions & Vocals
