1. Grief was founded in 1991 … Read Full Bio ↴There are several bands named 'Grief.
1. Grief was founded in 1991 by Terry Savastano and drummer Randy Odierno of crust band Disrupt. Grief's sludgy doom metal brought extremely slow riffs to the metal underground. The band was heavily influenced by Black Sabbath, Eyehategod and doom warriors Saint Vitus. Grief's music was jagged, noisy, harsh and brutally dissonant. Lead singer Jeff Hayward favored the sort of tortured, throat-shredding, screaming vocals that were quite common in death metal/black metal and grindcore, and that risk-taking combination of torturous vocals and slow, Sabbath-influenced riffs made Grief one of the more influential Sludge/Doom metal bands to emerge in the early ‘90s.
They broke up in 2001 mainly due to drummer problems - something that was an ongoing problem for the band from the start. They also cited what they called a "hostile environment for Doom metal bands". They reunited briefly in July 2005 to play a cluster of reunion shows.
The band had several 7"s including one with Dystopia and Corrupted each. A compilation album called Turbulent Times appeared in 2002 through Southern Lord. The group reunited for one show at the first annual New England Grind And Doom Fest on July 17, 2005 at The Middle East Cafe in Cambridge, MA. They were so excited by the response to this show that they began booking others, and they toured intermittently throughout 2005 and 2006.
In 2005, the band played shows through in venues including The Ace of Clubs and The Knitting Factory in New York, The Khyber in Philadelphia, O'Brien's in Allston/Brighton, MA, The Living Room in Providence, RI, and Cherry St. Station in CT.
In 2006 Southern Lord Records released a full length live album called Alive which featured their performance at the Middle East in November 2005. The album features artwork by Eric C. Harrison, who did much of the band's painted cover artwork.
One of Grief's final appearance was at Emissions from the Monolith 8, a sludge/doom festival that took place in Ohio, May 2006.
The band reformed in 2008 and toured the United States and Europe, but they soon disbanded again in March 2009, giving this announcement via their myspace page;
"I'm sorry to announce that Grief is no longer playing. We have dis-banded or whatever. The last show we played was the Wien Arena in Vienna Austria (i think i spelled those things right)
our reasons for disbanding are our reasons. we have chosen not to get into it but it may or may ot include the following reasons.
- Jeff has finally become Rip Van Winkle and will be asleep for the next 50 years.
- Ray has finally eaten so much that he can not fit out of the door to his house and is unable to leave home
- John has become so death metal that we' d have to actually be ghosts to jam with him and none of us feel like it.
- Eric finally became an actual dog and has not learned how to play bass or do artwork with his paws."
http://www.myspace.com/officialgrief
2. The Swedish Grief has crafted a blackened brand of doom metal, and released it's one and only album (after releasing an EP in 2011) named 'Where the Light Doesn't Shine' in january 2015.
http://griefdoommetal.bandcamp.com/
3. Screamo / Post-hardcore / Black metal from Toulouse, France.
https://grief1.bandcamp.com
Stricken
Grief Lyrics
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The song "Stricken" by Grief is a touching portrayal of the pain and frustration felt by a man who feels his life is going nowhere. The lyrics detail the subject's descent into drug addiction and feelings of hopelessness. He speaks of being "pissed off" and nearing the end of his rope, with each new day bringing more disappointment. The scars on his flesh tell the story of a man who is completely broken.
The singer paints a vivid picture of a pessimistic existence where he numbs himself with chemicals and is constantly drunk and angry, tired of screaming and feeling like life has no meaning. He is stricken with dreams and goals that seem unattainable, and is overwhelmed by a sense of loneliness and confusion. He feels trapped within a cell of negativity and wonders why he should try when failure seems to be the norm. Work and life both suck, and he wishes he had never been born.
Overall, the song speaks to the struggles that many people face in today's society, where it can be difficult to find one's place in the world and feel a sense of purpose. The lyrics are raw and honest, reflecting the pain and frustration that many people feel but may not always express.
Line by Line Meaning
Out of drugs pissed off again
I am low on my drugs and this is making me angry.
I think I am nearing the end
I feel like I am close to the end of my life.
Another fucking day
Every day feels the same and it's frustrating.
Another disappointment
I keep facing failure and it's making me lose hope.
Scars in my flesh tell the story - Of a broken man
My scars are a physical representation of my emotional pain and suffering.
Pessimistic existence
My outlook on life is constantly negative and hopeless.
Numb myself with chemicals
I try to escape my pain by using drugs and alcohol to make myself numb.
Drunk and fucking angry
My intoxicated state makes my anger more intense.
I'm sick of fucking screaming
I am tired of constantly expressing my frustrations and anger.
How much longer can I take
I am reaching my limit of enduring this pain and suffering.
Living a life without no meaning
I feel like my life has no purpose or significance.
Fucking stricken
I am deeply and intensely affected by my pain and suffering.
Dreams and goals = void loneliness confusion
I feel lost and confused about my dreams and goals, which makes me feel lonely and empty.
Trapped within a cell of negativity
I feel stuck in a cycle of negative thoughts and feelings.
Why try? When failure is the norm
I am questioning why I should even bother trying when I am used to failing.
Work sucks life sucks
I am unhappy with my job and my life in general.
I wish I was never born
I regret my existence and wish I didn't have to suffer in this life.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Donovan, Jeffrey Hayward, Randy Odierno, Terrence Savastano
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind