Grenouer

Grenouer
Grenouer
Background information
Origin	Saint Petersburg, Russia
Genres	Alternative metal; melodic death metal; progressive metal; djent;
Years active	1992–present
Labels	Mausoleum
Members	Ind; Motor; Buzzy; Danny; Daemon;
Website	grenouer.com

Grenouer is a Russian rock and metal band, formed in late 1992 in Perm. Their name is an intentional misspelling of grimoire, a magic textbook.

History

The debut was followed by other albums, released in Russia by labels like

A-Ha's "Take On Me". The fourth album Presence With War lyrically dealt with the Iraq-related war issues; its front cover was made by Mickmo, an American creator of comic books. Grenouer "is the most impressive metal statement from an unlikely source," Steve Beebee wrote in 2009, reviewing the album for Kerrang! and giving it a 4K-rating.^[1]

In the mid-2000s, Grenouer's music began to change dramatically and at the same period musicians also relocated to Saint Petersburg. Preference was given to hardcore, math metal and even progressive rock. The fifth album Try was released worldwide in Great Britain by Casket Music (a division of Copro Records), that displayed these influences yet some fans of brutal death metal felt as if Grenouer was betraying their ideals. In fact they were just pioneering the genre that today has the term djent.^{[citation needed]} In a retrospective, Kerrang!'s Ryan Bird wrote of Presence With War (released in 2009 in the UK) Unforgiving to the end, this is metal at its most genuinely ferocious," in another 4K-rating review.^[2]

In 2008, the band released their sixth studio album Lifelong Days,^[3] which continued in the same vein as its predecessor. After this record, the band would take their music in a more melodic direction starting with 2013's Blood on the Face, cutting out harsh vocals on their songs in favor of exclusively clean singing, which they've stuck with since.

In 2021, a separate incarnation of the band named Grenouer Inc. was formed featuring the return of past members, created as a return to their death metal roots. They released their two debut singles in late 2023.

Controversy

In 2004, the Mayor of Kemerovo banned Grenouer's concert the very same day they arrived at the city, allegedly for the advocacy of violence.^[4]

Line-up

Ind – vocals
Motor – guitar
Al Bolo – bass
Danny D – drums

Discography

1993 – Death of a Bite (demo)
1996 – Fiery Swans EP
1996 – Border of Misty Times
1999 – Gravehead
2001 – The Odour O'Folly
2004 – Presence With War
2005 – Try EP
2007 – Try
2008 – Lifelong Days
2011 – Computer Crime EP
2013 – Blood on the Face
2015 – Unwanted Today
2019 – Ambition 999

References

^ Steve Beebee. Kerrang! magazine. Issue No. 1247, February 17, 2009, Albums, p. 52.
^ Ryan Bird. Kerrang! Issue No.1251, March 7, 2009. Albums review, p. 51
^ "Russia's Grenouer to Release Lifelong Days Album in June". Blabbermouth.net.
^ The Exventer band member's statement Archived 2013-06-26 at the Wayback Machine. EXVENTER: "Группа теперь является официально запрещённой в г. Кемерово и Кемеровской области!". ^{[dead link]}

External links

[1] Steve Beebee. Kerrang! magazine. Issue No. 1247, February 17, 2009, Albums, p. 52.

[2] Ryan Bird. Kerrang! Issue No.1251, March 7, 2009. Albums review, p. 51

[3] "Russia's Grenouer to Release Lifelong Days Album in June". Blabbermouth.net.

[4] The Exventer band member's statement Archived 2013-06-26 at the Wayback Machine. EXVENTER: "Группа теперь является официально запрещённой в г. Кемерово и Кемеровской области!". ^{[dead link]}

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Authority control databases
International	VIAF
National	France BnF data
Artists	MusicBrainz