REVIEW: Grizzlor / Godstopper - "Grizzlor / Godstopper 7inch"

By: Charlie Butler

Album Type: 7inch

Date Released: 17/02/2017

Label: Corpse Flower Records

 

Overall this is an excellent split that showcases two awesome bands with differing styles united in their bizarre approach and love of the riff.

“Grizzlor/Godstopper 7”//DD track listing:

1). Grizzlor – Are You Doing Your Job?

2). Grizzlor – Jack and Diane

3). Godstopper – Down Here For Long

4). Godstopper - Cellphane

The Review:

Corpse Flower Records have brought together two titans of oddball noise rock in the form of Grizzlor and Godstopper to create a killer split 7”.

New Haven’s Grizzlor came to my attention with their mighty 2015 7” “Cycloptic”. This time the band have slowed the tempo slightly to pack two songs into seven minutes, making these tracks almost prog in length compared to their previous output. Their unique brand of lurid, sludgy weirdness is as potent as ever though coming across like the Melvins providing a twisted soundtrack to Saturday morning kid’s cartoons. “Are You Doing Your Job?” sees the band expand their twisted surf edge in the form of unhinged reverbed-out guitar solo while “Jack and Diane” is a perkier slice of damaged punk rock. These two tracks offer a tantalising glimpse of Grizzlor’s power and hopefully they will be back soon with a longer release.

This split is my first taste of Godstopper and it has definitely made me hungry for more. The Toronto quartet deliver two tracks of wildly contrasting style but both of high quality. “Down Here For Long” is the heaviest track on the record, with crunching stop/start riffs giving way to outbursts of glorious Torche style melodic sludge. “Cellophane” provides a complete change of pace in the form of a strange power ballad. Consisting mostly of sparse guitar, piano and rim clicks, it’s a catchy tune that has hints of Faith No More’s quieter moments, particularly during the brief eruption of distortion. 

Overall this is an excellent split that showcases two awesome bands with differing styles united in their bizarre approach and love of the riff.

“Grizzlor/Godstopper 7” is available here

Band info: facebookgrizzlordestroys || facebookgodstopperband