PETER GRAIGS – The Beginning Of The End (2017)

“The Beginning Of The End” is full length debut CD from PETER GRAIGS, a multi-instrumentalist but basically guitarist with an obvious love for ’80s hard rock of the American breed. A self-managed taht deserve to be listened for all fans of the genre.

Born and raised in Montreal, Canada but re-located to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, a young Peter Graigs started to play the club circuit as part of several bands since the end of the ’80s. His musical heroes include iconic guitarists Randy Rhoads, Eric Clapton, Al Di Meola and legendary drummer Tommy Aldridge.
Graigs immersed himself in music early on and expertly mastered playing guitar, bass and drums. Unfortunately his career in music had to take a back seat, as he was sidelined for a decade following a traumatic parachute accident.

During the last twenty years Graigs worked as session musician, opened for several major acts, recorded an album with the band Scars Of Grace, and released some solo singles.
But it was time for his solo album, “The Beginning Of The End”, where Peter recorded all instruments.
But a skilled vocalist was needed and he found in Freddy Krumins (House Of Lords’ Ken Mary drummer band Atlantis Rising, Heart’s Howard Leese own band, et all) the proper singer to perform his songs. Krumins is some kind of a mix between Jorn Lande and a young Paul DiAnno.

And how about the songs? “The Beginning Of The End” is pure ’80s influenced US metal / hard rock album, from the overall style to the sound & production.
Being Graigs primarily guitarist, this is a truly guitar-driven album plenty of stinging riffs and crunchy staccato leads, always with melody and at the service of the songs.

To mention influences, as example, you have some Fifth Angel in ‘Numb Sleepwalker’, a bit of Lynch Mob in ‘Fighting Time’, Impellitteri on ‘My Eyes Bleed’, the Americanized Loudness on the melodious ‘Mesmerized’, even some Chastain on ‘Color Me Guilty’.
For a more hard rock groove there’s ‘Bad Dog’ and ‘Conquer My Fear’, still retaining the edge. No place for ballads on this album.

Peter Graigs is a man of skills as it shows in “The Beginning Of The End”: he play all instruments and very well, by the way. His arsenal of guitar riffs are varied, with a different set-up sound from song to song and delivering some hot, blistering solos.
What I really enjoyed on this album as well is the overall production approach: truly inspired in the second half of the ’80s US metal / hard sound, that ‘analog’ vibe that work wonders with this material.
If you dig the influences mentioned above, you need to check “The Beginning Of The End”.
They don’t make album like this anymore, and I love this type of edgy stuff.

01 – Numb Sleepwalker
02 – Fighting Time
03 – My Eyes Bleed
04 – Bad Dog
05 – Color Me Guilty
06 – The Beginning Of The End
07 – Mesmerized
08 – Conquer My Fear
09 – When Silence Breaks
10 – Just A Dream

Guitars – Peter Graigs
Bass – Peter Graigs
Drums – Peter Graigs
Vocals – Freddy Krumins

BUY IT !
petergraigs.com/
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