Musical Style: Hard Rock	Produced By: Grammatrain
Record Label: Zoe Worldwide / Retroactive	Country Of Origin: USA
Year Released: 1994 / 2025	Artist Website:
Tracks: 13	Rating: No Quote
Running Time: 50:44

Grammatrain are serious competition to its Seattle sound rivals.  While open to interpretation, Seattle sound loosely defines as ‘a fusion of punk rock and heavy metal with an emphasis on distorted guitars, angst-filled lyrics about social alienation, and an unkempt, anti-consumerist fashion aesthetic’.  Grammatrain checks most of the boxes, albeit in my opinion hard rock as opposed to heavy metal is the more accurate designator- keeping in mind with its ‘distorted guitars’ inclining group is not that far removed from the sites style guidelines.  I have little doubt Grammatrain held true to the ‘unkempt’ and ‘anti-consumerist’ flannel shirts and ripped jeans common to the time - eschewing any Aqua Net or spandex trappings - but its uplifting and faith based prose flies in the face of any so-called anger and social alienation.

Drawing its name from a poem timekeeper Paul Roraback wrote about his grandmother entitled Grandma’s Train, Grammatrain recorded in 1994 a self-titled three-song demo ahead of signing with Zoe Worldwide Records and releasing the same year its second demo - also self-titled but full length - made up of four studio recordings and six live acoustic tracks. Group later recorded each song off Grammatrain for one of the two albums it released in follow up on Forefront Records, Lonely House (1995) and Flying (1997).  Rounding out the Grammatrain roster is brother and bassist Dalton Roraback, and vocalist and guitarist Pete Stewart.

Of particular interest to Angelic Warlord readers should be Paul Roraback, whom got his start recording a pair of demos with Christian progressive rock band Paragon, Just Believe (1984) and Dead And Alive (1988), prior to serving as touring drummer of Bloodgood from 1991 to 1993 and performing on the groups live album To Germany, With Love! - Live In Germany 1993.  He later launched a solo career under the name PJ Bostic and released five solo albums, with most recent being the Rush influenced sounds of Faith Of Least Resistance (85% Angelic Warlord review) and Hope In The Winter Stage (90%) from 2021 and 2025, respectively.

Retroactive Records reissued the out of print and hard to find Grammatrain in 2025 with the three songs off the initial demo as bonus tracks.  Two of the three, “Drown” and “Need”, ended up re-recorded for Lonely House, while the third, “Mindform”, is exclusive to the demo.  An eight page mini booklet attributing to Scott Waters of No Life Til Metal Graphics includes lyrics and liner notes in an easy to read front.  I cannot comment on the Rob Colwell (Bombworks Sound) re-mastering due to lacking the foresight to purchase an original copy of Grammatrain back in the day, but production sounds surprisingly clean for a mid-nineties self-financed release.

What we have in Grammatrain is not a three-cords-and-a-cloud-of-dust straight from the garage grunge band.  Rather, Grammatrain are the real deal with the professional songwriting and musicianship to complete with the likes of Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains.  Albums first three songs are certain to put any doubters to rest in transcending any alternative or modern boundaries to extent I see metal and hard rock devotees taking interest.

Opener “Believe” embodies everything that works with Grammatrain: elaborate bass (akin to The Awful Truth) and artful timekeeping combine with smiting rhythm guitar hitting with borderline metal authority.  Of equal note is the group’s genius for weaving its material with undeniable melody to demand instant attention.  Stewart’s smarting guitar leads prove him a performer of well above the line ability.  Lyric snippet:

Sometimes I’m lost in a circle
The beast of human nature breathing in my face
And I won’t pretend to ignore him
Emotions start to sway
But truth won’t fade away

I believe
I can’t pretend to understand everything

“Execution” is on similar level.  Song delivers a mega wallop guitar crunch that resonates Snakes In The Playground (Bride) like intensity interspersed with distorted bass and groove like undercurrents.  Once again, an unmistakable melody plays a foremost role.  Lyric snippet:

Use me to brew your lab rat stew
Dissolve my voice for your woman’s choice

A nation murders me, me, me
My execution it’s your revolution

Spill my blood on ‘civil’ hands
I pay to make you free- free
A nation murders me with politicians’ dreams
Silencing my screams, screams, screams

Quality fails to diminish with “Lonely House”.  Lengthiest of the three at five and half minutes, song tempers impetus to the mid-tempo but does not back from the bristling authority, melody driven in light of calmer moments aligning with resonant harmonies but also forbidding as the Grammatrain steely guitar resolve again plays a prominent role.  Once more, the group steps outside any modern boundaries in executing its deft instrumental sound.  Lyric snippet:

Could be I’m all alright like before
Black or white, I lost my sight
Can’t tell what’s inside anymore

An angry child, never seen
Since I lost my wings, I’m never free
Mirror, mirror to me you show
Someone that I do not know
In a lonely house I look for Thee

Demo closes to “Jerky Love Song”, a minute of speed-based and off kilter cacophony that is not my cup of due to being a bit too punk like for my taste.

Of the unplugged tracks, two are taken from the demo in ”Execution” and “Jerky Love Song”.  Former sounds at home in an acoustic environment with a somewhat more relaxed but no less hook driven feel, while latter carries out to nearly three minutes with several humorous answering machine outtakes to end.

First original song “Drown” is a winner, five minutes of spiraling bass and sharp acoustic weaving form a backbone for Stewart to exhibit his soulful at times smooth and others raspy middle register vocal abilities.  The swinging groove and melodic inflections build upon the hearty clime.  This one translates well in an acoustic setting, referencing the electric version to appear on Lonely House.  Lyric snippet:

My treasured poison you control my days
You spin my life while I forget my name
I’m in a prison of my own demise
See no escaping through my red-lined eyes

Hey man, do you wanna drown
While your bottle drinks you down
(I hear you say) save me, save me
Hey man, do you wanna drown

“Humanity” and “For Me” also translate well acoustically, with no small measure either songs studio counterpart (off Lonely House and Flying, respectively) is also acoustic.  “Humanity” identifies as slow and moody with blandishing vocal melodies, while “For Me” comes across in form of an authentic ballad upholding an overriding commercial essence.  Final cut “Undivine Election” also fits within an acoustic context, noting the Lonely House rendering also makes use of acoustic guitar but in a heavier rocking up-tempo format.

The three demo tracks begin with a hard rock version to “Drown” but with a minute and half removed from its span.  Of the remaining two, I take most to six minute “Need”, another melody packed showstopper exuding a light progressiveness in which Grammatrain exhibits its understated riffs and chops.  This one proves the group is at its best in a lengthy but dexterously accessible environment.

“Mindform” is another top cut but in a heavier borderline metal direction.  Riffs cut with knife-edge authority and low end slams in quaking fashion.  Yet, a subtle side to the song reveals in the borderline commercial backing vocals that adorn the beckoning refrain.  Lyric snippet:

Hey, listen to me
I’ll pretend to know your name
You don’t need reality
If you just seen my face

Hey, generation
Bow before your master throne
I give to you philosophy
To call your own

Grammatrain potentially falls with the ‘alternative’, ‘grunge’ or ‘Seattle sound’ categories but are also not that far down the road from metal and hard rock subtleties.  Or at the very least the groups heavy rocking guitar sound not to mention creative songwriting has a lot to offer, and not just to those whose tastes trend towards the modern side of things.  It cannot be understated manner in which each of the three Grammatrain members are well-rounded performers.  That said, there is also a lot of variety here in terms of source material- demo tracks from two different recording sessions and a live performance, with several songs repeated multiple times.  Hence, it is problematic assigning a final grade.  Regardless, credit Retroactive Records for making Grammatrain and the debut demo available in a highly upgraded and re-mastered package.

Review by Andrew Rockwell

Track Listing: “Believe” (3:47), “Execution” (3:57), “Lonely House” (5:32), “Jerky Love Song” 1:10), “Drown” (4:58), “Undivine Election” (3:26), “Humanity” (4:10), “For Me” (3:44), “Execution” (4:02), “Jerky Love Song” (2:46), “Drown” (3:34), “Mindform (3:27), “Need” (6:10)

Musicians
Pete Stewart - Lead Vocals & Guitars
Dalton Roraback - Bass
Paul J. Roraback - Drums, Percussions & Vocals