The Grand Mal - The Grand Mal

When The Grand Mal arrived in October 2019, it felt like Oxford had quietly forged something enormous. With Ryan and Elliot Cole (of Desert Storm) joining forces with Dave-O, Rob Glenn, and Lee Cressey, this was more than a side project—it was a convergence of pedigree, experience and appetite for heavy rock that hit with surprising force.

From the opening crunch of Explode through tracks like No Man’s Land, Burning Truth, and Liquid & Dust, the album leans into grunge, but doesn’t abandon the sludge, southern and stoner DNA that each member brings with them. Glitch rattles and pulses; Pig In The Python and Black Spiral show off dual-guitar textures; Significant closes things out with instrumental grandiosity. Throughout, the writing feels confident, the performances tight, the riffs sharp and alive.

Recorded at Wormwood Studios in Deddington, with a couple of tracks at Magdalen Studios, the production by Steve “Geezer” Watkins (and Jimmy Hetherington on a few cuts) gives the record size and punch without smoothing away character. Mastered by Tim Turan, The Grand Mal sounds powerful, raw when it needs to be, expansive when the songs call for it.

In the time since release, the album won critical acclaim, strong sales, and charted at No. 8 in the Doom Charts. The Grand Mal toured the UK, played big shows, and proved this debut wasn’t just a warm-up—it was a statement.

Track listing:
1. Explode
2. No Man's Land
3. The Burning Truth
4. Synapse Transmission
5. Liquid & Dust
6. Glitch
7. Pig In The Python
8. Eschaton
9. Black Spiral
10. Significant

All songs written by The Grand Mal except No Man's Land, Pig In The Python and Black Spiral (The Grand Mal and Lee Cressey) and Glitch (The Grand Mal and Toby Cauldicott).
All lyrics by Dave-O except Synapse Transmission and Liquid & Dust (Elliot Cole) and Glitch (Ryan Cole).
Lead guitar on Pig In The Python and Black Spiral by Lee Cressey.

Recorded, produced and engineered at Wormwood Studios, Deddington, Oxfordshire by Steve "Geezer" Watkins except Pig In The Python and Black Spiral (Magdalen Studios, Oxford by Jimmy Hetherington).

Mastered by Tim Turan at Turan Audio Oxford.