During
Grief's ten-year existence, the influential doom metallers recorded several albums. But not every
Grief recording came out on a full-length album -- in the '90s,
Grief's work also came out on various 7" and 10" records (both singles and EPs). Although most labels quit releasing vinyl in the late '80s, there were some indies that, in the '90s, still enjoyed providing vinyl -- and
Grief often recorded for those indies. Unfortunately, many of
Grief's vinyl releases went out of print and became difficult to find; that's why
Turbulent Times was desperately needed. This collection, which Southern Lord assembled in 2002, spans 1992-1998 and focuses on
Grief's rarities. Most of the material originally came out on vinyl, including "Green Vegetable Matter," "Fucked Upstairs," and "My Dilemma." But two of the tracks are previously unreleased; alternate versions of "Depression" and "Earthworm" didn't come out on any of the records or CDs that
Grief offered in the '90s. Because
Turbulent Times covers a six-year period, anyone who hears this CD in its entirety will be exposed to different
Grief lineups --
Grief had one lineup change after another in the '90s, and that can adversely affect the quality of a band's work.
Deep Purple,
Black Sabbath, and
Uriah Heep are three examples of bands that had too many personnel changes for their own good. But even though
Grief was a revolving door, this CD is fairly consistent. The band usually sounds quite focused and, whatever the lineup,
Grief's blend of slow,
Sabbath-minded grooves and screaming, tortured, grindcore-like vocals makes for a brutal dose of doom metal. Although not recommended to casual listeners,
Turbulent Times is a disc that
Grief's hardcore fans will want to acquire. ~ Alex Henderson