Review by JD on April 28, 2012.

Out of the sleepy state of South Dakota, where usually the most fun that you can ever have is getting drunk and pushing over sleeping cows under a full moon or try to impregnate your neighbours daughter without the father catching you comes a band that puts ‘blood, guts and gore’ back into the metal lexicon, and then some as well. Alcohol paralysed Hillbillies and the mentally slow need to beware - the Tennessee Murder Club is looking for its next victim...er...fan.

This may be nothing out of the ordinary for Death Metal, but Tennessee Murder Club is in a blood soaked and murderous category all by themselves, pounding out very solid old school Death Metal with an added ferocity that usually comes from extreme Black Metal. Each horrific song lyric that tell the tale of suffering, eradication and how to do killings, seems to top any of the Stephen King masterpieces, yet seems to always lead into another story of perverse disembowelment and the humans capable of such sadistic things.

Listening to the bloodletting that every Tennessee Murder Club song gives, shows that a new crop of Death Metal is alive and kicking ass. Each eviscerating word and brain spattered thought send with the bludgeoning music is 100% pure blood-letting Death Metal. Nastiness comes on a disk with eleven of the most gore splattered songs ever. They have not done anything new to Death Metal, but they have firmly defined it once again.

I have been waiting for some true Death Metal to re-appear and set the bar higher in the scene for people to strive for and now my wish has become true. Looks like the Tennessee Murder Club has truly brought it back with no nonsense Death Metal at is glorious and blood splattered best.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9.5
Atmosphere: 9.5
Production: 9
Originality: 8
Overall: 9

Rating: 9.0 out of 10

Review by Adam M on February 2, 2013.

There is a particularly interesting psychedelic form of Black Metal created throughout the length of this release that would appeal to fans of the genre looking for a more thoughtful approach to what is standardly shown there. There are a number of twists and turns that lead to an inventive and compelling approach that makes them open to a more innovative experience in the genre.

There are harsh rasping vocals that lead to a truer Black Metal feel that also gives the overall sound of the band another dimension. Sometimes folk portions of the album recall Agalloch with an added emphasis on the harsher portions of the vocals sounding similar to those of that outfit as well. Overall, the album has a very short running time, but the quality is reasonable enough for this to have an impact on a number of different fans of the Black Metal genre. There is a solid atmosphere present and the song-writing, while solid, could be improved with more involved song-writing that would lead to more fulfilling results throughout.

The band Sylvan Realm could certainly improve their trade in the future, but for now, "The Lodge Of Transcendence" is a compelling Folk Black Metal experience that should appeal to a number of fans in the genre.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 8
Atmosphere: 7.5
Production: 7
Originality: 7
Overall: 7.5

Rating: 7.4 out of 10

Review by Tobias on February 15, 2001.

Plastered on the cover of the CD was a sticker that said “The Cure meets Anathema”. As you regular readers might’ve noticed, I’m not too big on whiny music. The Cure is the supreme ruler of grief-stricken, teary-eyed music (particularly the old stuff) and I am much more likely to pop Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me or Anathema’s Judgement into my player than listen to The Art of Grief.

I suppose one of the problems here is that The Wounded is trying to create new music when they are really just modifying old stuff and giving it a bit of a hybrid edge. What they’ve really produced is another entry in the small and rarely appreciated book of moody-metal. And I say “metal” grudgingly:

1. the guitars get hard, but never heavy;
2. the keyboards provide an adhesive layer under the other instruments without which the rest of the music would never have made it out of a garage; though they are simple, this is the best part of the music, providing smooth movement and almost a spooky atmosphere
3. on Frailty Thy Name is Woman, Wounded’s heart-torn vocalist attempts some growling that is almost laughable (imagine Tears For Fears taking a mean crap)

If you want to feel sorry for yourself and get some depression enhancing music, this is a pretty good buy. I know that I'm basically ripping The Wounded a new asshole, but understand that the music is decent for the whole “I’m a sensitive guy, so let me cry in your ear” fan base. But I thought we were done with that in the mid-nineties! I don’t know man, maybe some 14 yr. old chicks will dig it… hopefully it can get their minds of those Backstreet Butt-Nugget boy bands.

Bottom Line: If you want to cry, either for depression therapy or because you like to torture yourself, The Art of Grief makes good on its words. Personally, I like music with balls; The Wounded seem to be grieving the loss of theirs.

Rating: 4 of 10

Review by Tobias on February 15, 2001.

Plastered on the cover of the CD was a sticker that said “The Cure meets Anathema”. As you regular readers might’ve noticed, I’m not too big on whiny music. The Cure is the supreme ruler of grief-stricken, teary-eyed music (particularly the old stuff) and I am much more likely to pop Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me or Anathema’s Judgement into my player than listen to The Art of Grief.

I suppose one of the problems here is that The Wounded is trying to create new music when they are really just modifying old stuff and giving it a bit of a hybrid edge. What they’ve really produced is another entry in the small and rarely appreciated book of moody-metal. And I say “metal” grudgingly:

1. the guitars get hard, but never heavy;
2. the keyboards provide an adhesive layer under the other instruments without which the rest of the music would never have made it out of a garage; though they are simple, this is the best part of the music, providing smooth movement and almost a spooky atmosphere
3. on Frailty Thy Name is Woman, Wounded’s heart-torn vocalist attempts some growling that is almost laughable (imagine Tears For Fears taking a mean crap)

If you want to feel sorry for yourself and get some depression enhancing music, this is a pretty good buy. I know that I'm basically ripping The Wounded a new asshole, but understand that the music is decent for the whole “I’m a sensitive guy, so let me cry in your ear” fan base. But I thought we were done with that in the mid-nineties! I don’t know man, maybe some 14 yr. old chicks will dig it… hopefully it can get their minds of those Backstreet Butt-Nugget boy bands.

Bottom Line: If you want to cry, either for depression therapy or because you like to torture yourself, The Art of Grief makes good on its words. Personally, I like music with balls; The Wounded seem to be grieving the loss of theirs.

Rating: 4 of 10