Martin Grech - Unholy
Martin Grech
Unholy
It’s music, Jim, but not as we know it. Make no mistake, Unholy is not an easy record to listen to. If you like your music wrapped up nicely in three minute packages with bouncy melodies and catchy choruses, look away now. Unholy is the follow up to Grech’s critically acclaimed debut album Open Heart Zoo, released in 2002. Since then Grech has grown musically, returning with a much more focused record.
Opener ‘Guiltless’ is arguably the most claustrophobic and intimidating track of recent times. Clocking in at almost eight minutes it opens with a rolling bass riff, which signals the impending doom soon to hit your stereo. It is the sound of the apocalypse colliding with the realisation of a medieval curse. Unholy cannot be pigeon-holed, moving between genres and styles • from medieval monks singing, to futuristic punk, to classical, sometimes all in the space of a single song.
It is clear that Grech takes his inspiration from the darkest recesses of his mind and the result is an unconventional forwardthinking record that opens itself up more and more on each listening. Whilst ‘Guiltless’ and ‘Holy Father Inferior’ are two granite slabs of fear and menace, ‘Venus’ allows his acoustic side to shine. Grech’s amazing voice transcends between octaves with ease, flowing over the melodies that run beneath him.
Unholy is dense, confusing, intimidating and downright unfashionable, but don’t let that put you off. This is arguably the most impressive record of the year to date. Not bad for a 22 year old from Aylesbury.
26th May 2005