FORMER MEMBERS OF THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER SET GRAVES ABLAZE
Tuesday, December 8th, 2009 at 5:00pm by Axl Rosenberg
For some reason I thought John Kempainen was one of those “I hate touring” dudes, and that said hatred of fart boxes and no pay was one of the key reasons behind his split with The Black Dahlia Murder. But I guess I thought wrong, because Metal Injection tells us that Kempainen is teaming with original BDM drummer Cory Grady to form a new band, Graves Ablaze. They don’t have a vocalist yet (or a bassist or rhythm guitarist), but there’s an instrumental demo streaming here.
Kempainen is obviously a really talented guy and I was sad to see him leave BDM – his solos were one of my favorite parts of that band. That being said, Ryan Knight (ex-Arsis) has obviously turned out to be a more than able replacement, and I think Deflorate is probably BDM’s best album yet. And this Graves Ablaze demo doesn’t knock my socks off. It’s not bad – it’s just not jizz-inducing or whatever.
What does that say about their future? Very little. Maybe the time just wasn’t right yet for them to post a demo – maybe they need to wait ’til they’re further along in their evolutionary process. For now, I’m just glad that Kempainen is out there trying to make new metal…
-AR
24 COMMENTS on “FORMER MEMBERS OF THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER SET GRAVES ABLAZE”
Kempainen’s solos are cool if you like listening to dudes in guitar center practicing scales in one key. The only solo he did that I liked was the Everything Went Black solo, and even that is pedestrian and predictable compared to Knight’s stuff.
+1
this new song sounds good, now they just need more band members.
i like this, its going to be great.. i also agree with the first comment, his solos ALL sound the same. but i still love john, nocturnal is one of, if not my favorite cd’s..
“Maybe the time just wasn’t right yet for them to post a demo – maybe they need to wait ’til they’re further along in their evolutionary process.”
its seems like they posted a song to try and find new members
“I’m just glad that Kempainen is out there trying to make new metal…”
I wish that Kempainen was out there trying to make nu metal…
Kempainen is also a criminal, guilty of fraud and forgery in order to scam people out of money and gear for himself.
please elaborate..
brutal
NO BASSIST!!?? where do I apply? Haha.
…..and this is what deflorate would have sounded like if he stayed.
yeeeeeeeeeeeah. Digging the track. Sounds like old BDM, closest I’ll ever get to Unhallowed pt 2.
Don’t get me wrong, I love all of Black Dahila’s records and how theyve progessed over the years. Shannon Lucas is best thing to ever happen to the band and we all know Ryan can shred…
but the simplicity/hooks of Unhallowed is what made it so memorable. Glad to hear Cory Grady on the drums, dude is so solid.
I think that shit is awesome!
If his solos were your favorite part, you have extremely poor taste in solos
My friend talked to him at some summer tour in Michigan (may have been dirtfest but i can remember right now) and he said he found out he was going to be replaced and quit before they did it.
I don’t know if thats true but it would make more sense for this project.
wow what a surprise sounds like a BDM song…they couldn’t have come up with something more original? that probably like an old BDM demo he stole or some shit….
just like graves of valor sounding like TTEOTD when the original members left and formed the band…
Actually graves of Valor sound nothing like TTEOTD, its not deathcore bro. Think BDM mixed with ATG
And their vocalist is a beast.
Man, the idea of recording a video of myself karaoke-ing this tune and posting it online makes me wanna cringe, this is the WORST way to audition for a band IMO. I’m a fan of the good ole press kit, or EPK with samples of what u can do…if the band thinks u have talent, set up a jam and get down for a rehearsal.
It sounds good but I think that the vocalist is going to be make it or break it point because this does sound a lot like BDM. IF the vocalist sounds like Trevor a little bit too much I will have to say no to this project.
Great news. I think this sounds pretty killer / I have a good feeling about this for some reason.
Everybody in the know around here (meaning Southeast Michigan) knows the BEST band-comprised-entirely-of-former-BDM-members (which there are lots of) WAS “Off the Pigs” but they broke up 2 years ago
for sure! i mean, who can forget timeless classics such as “n1gger knife”?
off the pigs? what the funk do you speak of? what former bdm member were in it?
i’d like to be “in the know”….
Off the pigs was Zach Gibson, John Twigg, Jeff Dudick and Chris Revill, it was a thrash grind band that KILLED. Look em up on myspace.