Review by Tara on March 29, 2016.

Graves At Sea are a name that is practically synonymous with the sludge-doom scene. Since 2002, the gloomy quartet have released a slew of well received splits, demos and EPs. With so many accomplishments under their belts, it's hard to believe that they are just now releasing their debut full-length album. For long time fans of the band such as myself, this album was worth waiting for.

The Curse That Is contains eight tracks of soul crushing filth infused doom which at times teeters on the border of stoner rock. This is Graves At Sea with a bigger and better production that doesn't take away from any of the abrasion featured on previous releases. There are even songs that feature violin passages, acoustic guitars (the track "Luna Lupus Venator" is basically an acoustic track leading into the album's finale) and female vocals. Although these elements are very new and at first strange to hear in Graves At Sea songs, they fit nicely with the overall ebb and flow. With each listen, I was able to appreciate these expanded musical qualities and pick up on new things missed on previous spins.

Things have changed quite a bit since Graves At Sea's inception all those years ago, but thankfully they've managed to stand the test of time and create an album that will please long time fans and grab new listeners along the way.

Review by Nekrist on September 4, 2024.

A Monumental Black Statue (AMBS), is an extreme metal outfit that proudly wears a caustic and occult style of black metal that will not leave an educated ear indifferent. As unusual and incredible as it may seem, compatriots and acquaintances of the thinking mind behind AMBS and Exaltatio Diaboli known by his pseudonym “Vexator”, contacted me through the Metal Archives forum because they needed a vocalist, I accepted their request and collaborated with the local Umbrian scene from Spain, that why I feel a deep respect towards it. A brotherhood was created between these musicians and me, managing to release physical material and keep in touch despite the distance that separates us.

Next, we will dissect and investigate the message that these artists captured in what for me is their most mature and spiritually charged work entitled The Touch Of The Moon With The Golden Veil, because yes, when reviewing bands that take their spiritual approaches seriously it is a duty to explore the lyrics to understand and enjoy the album even more. If you are a fan of contemporary, serious, dissonant, and chaotic extreme metal, this is an album you must listen to and have in your personal collection. The Touch Of The Moon With The Golden Veil, carry the torch that bands like Aosoth, Funeral Mist, Akhlys, Abigor, Misþyrming, and the also Italian Altar Of Perverssion have been contributing to the wide world of black metal in the last decades, exploring Satanism and Ancestral Cult from a Theistic and Gnostic perspective that adds a very special touch to their music. The melodies and riffs are furious, quickly reminiscent of the best moments of a band like Marduk or Triumphator, the drums are of course highly technical and precise to be able to properly accompany such frenetic guitars, creating a great imposing sonic wall, incessant and penetrating, full of energy, Vexator's voices are creeping and hateful, spitting with conviction inspired and deep lyrics, loaded with an Esoteric Folklore inspired by Ancestral and Infernal forces that inspired the creation of this work. The album has a heroic and epic sound that quickly immerses you in its atmosphere, the production fits perfectly with the composition, with every musical and graphic detail being taken care of to create a complete artistic expression. Songs like 'Superior Etruscan Blood', 'Ati Rasna', 'Ratio Diaboli' and 'Le Schiere Di Kali' perfectly exemplify all the elements and resources used throughout the album and can be enjoyed as a whole or simply as individual songs, evidencing great quality.

Without a doubt, a highly recommended album that I enjoyed a lot and that is already among my favorites of the year within the extreme metal underground, a clear example that there is a higher force that pushes many artists to channel those dark energies through their music. Ave Luxferre!

Rating: 9.5 out of 10