Grain of Pain – Behind Us All

Grain of Pain – Behind Us All
Release Date: 27th March 2026
Label: Noble Demon
Bandcamp
Genre: Doom Metal, Melodic Doom Metal, Death/Doom Metal, Progressive Doom, Gothic Doom.
FFO: Paradise Lost, Swallow the Sun, Before the Dawn, In Mourning, Dawn of Solace.
Review By: Rick Farley

Modern doom metal seems to have fallen by the wayside a bit in favour of either entirely old school sounds, excessive genre blending or adding some form of post elements to it in an effort to deepen its grim atmosphere. All perfectly acceptable and welcome but very few bands are actually bringing something dreadfully pure enough to be fully engulfed by their distinct melancholic darkness. That changes now. 

Finnish mastermind Timo Solonen (guitars, growls, compositions) has returned with the crushing, melodic and haunted Behind Us All, the second full length album from his death/doom metal outfit Grain of Pain. Also comprised of Lars Eikind (bass, clean vocals), session musicians Juho Räihä (guitars, additional screams) and Juuso Raatikainen (drums), both from Swallow the Sun fame, It’s safe to say this band is loaded with musical excellence from top to bottom. 

Behind Us All is a spirited, forward moving interpretation of immersive doom metal that’s high on melancholy, atmosphere, and disgusting brutality. The intensity of each track ranges from the crestfallen to folky emotive beauty and deep introspection. The balance of energy is split between the unique, full toned cleans of Lars and the demonic gutturals of Timo. The rich vocals sweep over glimmers of acoustics and chorded walls of crunchy guitars while the skull battering growls emphasize the cruelty of the heavier elements as if the mercilessness will overcome any and all hope shone. There are layers of complex melody, gothic tinges and progressive leanings that enhance the records impact, but truth be told this is a fluid battle between illuminating light and forever darkness. Each track brings those elements together masterfully with impressive structures and impactful songwriting. For a record that has this type of ungodly heaviness there’s an immediately engaging hookiness that grabs you in each track, unwilling to let go, even the sonically lighter ones twist their nails deep into your flesh before vanishing back into the foggy night. 

One such track that encapsulates the bands turbulent soundscape is Dance With Me. A nine-minute journey that slowly traverses passages of the gloriously tranquil, the utterly savage and the adventurousness of its ending. It begins with clean guitars, silky vocals, and gorgeous cello accents, it evokes your consciousness to feel its restfulness. You’re uncertain of where it’s going to go, it gradually swells into a devastating guitar hook and growls low enough to summon the undead. The light mood has severely shifted to world ending heaviness. An incredible transition that you won’t immediately see coming. The brutality morphs near the seven-minute mark, compelling its flourishes of prog to entirely change the entire mood into a welcoming, more hopeful sound. It’s a surging, hypnotic track that only reveals a small part of the records magic. Full of breathtaking and overwhelming moments are woven and merged together as if it’s all one cohesive expression. 

Behind Us All was produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered by Juho Räihä at SoundSpiral Audio. There’s a raw dryness to the record that allows it to feel fully alive as if it’s right in the room with you bearing down its ominous ambience. It’s sharp, crisp, and tight without causing any ear fatigue. Each element, brutal or serene shine through being directly upfront and in your face. It’s a beautifully layered record that sounds complexly dense without being saturated from overly intricate instrumentation or processing. It’s beautifully written, executed and produced. 

With this release, Grain of Pain has in my eyes become the modern undisputed kings within the genre. This record is undeniably contemporary; a huge step forward while maintaining everything that makes death/doom so great. There’s always going to be inspired bands out there, but some albums have such a uniquely different voice that shifts things just enough to wake everyone else the hell up. Behind Us All is that album. Grain of Pain is a band that sees their genre as a medium to carry the gleaming torch further into the doomy night. Forging new paths for all to take, the unknown of what lies ahead will soon be revealed. Whether sinister darkness, amidst copious amounts of scowling anger or a deeper understanding of its shimmering melancholy, the journey is undoubtedly worth discovering its unnerving mystery, as it will resonate in your soul long after it has faded into memory. Masterpiece.

(5 / 5)