So yeah, we may have already declared Cattle Decapitation’s latest to be our most favorite Metal record of the year but when it comes to sheer heaviness, Gozu might take the crown after the nine punishing (And creatively named) tracks they’re about to lay down for y’all throughout latest album Remedy.
We were hyped when “Tom Cruise Control” was released earlier not only because it was a veritable riff factory but also offered further proof at how vital Gozu is to the world of Rawk. No one, and we mean no one, is laying down riffs that come close to this level of exquisiteness yet still retains its’ visceral crunch at the same time. “CLDZ” was another single that solidified Gozu’s seat in the higher echelon of masters of the almighty riff and one that really showcases what “new” drummer Seth Botos (First recording, but in Gozu for a bit) brings to the table by effortlessly switching between a rotund rumbling to start, a more laid back Groove in the weeds, and then this lurching staccato during the final breakdown.
And then Remedy just gets better and better with “Rambo 2” stomping from the start amidst a flurry of riffs from Marc Gaffney and Doug Sherman before turning into a full blown shredder that opens up into this heavenly heaviness. Gaffney definitely brings the heft with his guitars adding to Sherman’s but holy sweet Jeebus there’s no one that sounds quite like he does behind the mic with so much emotion and Soul to counteract the continuous injection of riff fuel into Gozu’s veins.
“Joe Don Baker” launches at a frenetic pace and then “Pillow Talk” has those razor sharp guitar tones (Thanks in part to producer/engineer Dean Baltulonis) that used to light up early ’90’s Corrosion Of Conformity records (Think Blind) with “Ben Gazzara Loves No One” following with a flurry of fuzz before a(nother) killer solo from Sherman leads into a faster pace and a hearty throttling from Botos and Joseph Grotto’s rhythmic riposte. “Ash” is all headbanging crunch until it’s not, segueing into this vast stream of consciousness trip with Gaffney’s croon leading the charge into another powerful chorus with Grotto, Botos, and Sherman bringing back the heavy. The experimentation doesn’t end there as the monolithic might of “The Handler” closes out Remedy with a sprawling nine minutes and change of Doom-filled delight that goes in an almost mystical direction with the hypnotic refrain Sherman lays down that builds and builds into a lush noise that breaks new sonic ground for the Boston outfit.
Remedy drops through Blacklight Media/Metal Blade Records on May 19th. Pre-order yours now in a variety of formats by clicking here or on the stream below. For the latest from Gozu, including where you can see them supporting Remedy on the road, follow the socials by heading here, here, or here.
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