One night only of horror burlesque, performance art, and spooky music.
We all know that at a certain time in the fall each year the veil between worlds thins, opening our world to the world of the supernatural. It's taught in every elementary school. But did you know that this true for a time in the spring as well? Join us on Tuesday, May 2nd to celebrate Halfoween, the second best holiday of the year! Your Friends in Hell are here to guide you into a distant realm, full of monsters, demons, spooks and spirits. There will be games, prizes, burlesque, laughs, and scares, all from the comfort of your seat at the historically haunted Rockwell! After Empty Olive blows the doors off the place, Thou Merciless Graves will take you on a trip to the bottom of the sea with their unique blend of music, storytelling and perfomance art. This is a one night only event you won't want to miss, so get your tickets before they sell out!
“Thou Merciless Graves is more than a musician and more than a band. Thou Merciless Graves is an experience.”
“What I can only describe as a nautical themed rock opera filled with storytelling, music, video clips, sound effects, and giant jellyfish.”
—Trev Allen for Beyond the Pit
Spooky, synth-y sea shanties out of Boston. Sometimes with storytelling and staging.
Always with reverb.
We make music and performance art
inspired by the horrors of the sea.
Thou Merciless Graves is a two-woman band: Growler Graves [vocals, tenor resonator guitar and songwriting] and Mizzen Graves [backing vocals, synthesizer and production]. Drawing inspiration from classic maritime folk by the likes of Stan Rogers and Gordon Bok, gothic folk doom artists like Chelsea Wolfe and Emma Ruth Rundle, and Growler’s childhood growing up on a small sailboat in the North Atlantic, Thou Merciless Graves seeks to tell stories of the horrors and wonders of the ocean with doomy synths, unconventional guitar stylings and emotional, powerful vocals meant to be heard over the waves.
We’re also a performance art collective, working with a fluctuating cast of burlesque, dance and circus artists to create surreal, immersive performances alongside our live music. From flesh-eating mermaids to mysterious sea beasts to giant eels and glowing jellyfish, our performers create compelling characters to embody the stories we tell onstage.
Depending on the venue and the bill, we may play a music-only set, undertake a full production with video art, puppetry, and full costumes and stage performances, or something in between. Regardless of what you’re looking to see on stage, Thou Merciless Graves promises to make it memorable.
“Architeuthis” out now
Our first single, an electro-folk song about being in love with a giant squid, is out now on Bandcamp and most streaming!