Graveyard Train hone their craft yet again with their latest albumTakes One To Know One. Dropping the ‘haunted house band’ vibe of their debut album and adapting the nightmarish visions of 2012’sHollow, the band has forged a new type of horror into its music; that of loneliness and sinister tendencies.
The majority of the album lacks Graveyard Train’s usual bravado, trading in the chains and deep-voiced choir for a more tender and creepy stripped-down sound – usually consisting of a simple banjo, guitar and drums set-up, a cruel voice stomping through the lyrics and the faint echo of the back-up vocalists. The opening title track makes it clear the blues-swamp rock of Hollow has been swapped for a more country-blues mentality. The only song that lives up to the energy levels of ‘I’m Gone’ or ‘Mummy’ is ‘The Chrysalid’; everything else favours a slow and sombre tune. While it’s clear the band’s sound is stronger, what is unclear is whether or not dropping the somewhat clichОd topics of werewolves and witches was a good idea.
This is an album for those who were afraid of what lurked under their bed as kids. Fans of Graveyard Train will definitely enjoy this, but it’s certainly not their best album.
3/5.
Takes One To Know One is out now through Black Hat Rackets / Cargo.
