By:
Phil Weller
Album
Type:
EP
Date
Released: 15/3/2016
Label: Opoponax
Records
“The
Enemy” CD//DD track listing:
1).
The Enemy (05:00)
2).
Last (04:43)
3).
Light Years (05:19)
4).
The Enemy (extended take) (09:03)
The
Review:
The
buzz saw grind that so powerfully embodies Goya is, on this four
track EP, infested with a horripulation that sees the Arizona three-piece
sounding creepier and more terrifying than ever before. Yet, therein the
snaking grooves and blood-curdled fuzz savagery of opener ‘The Enemy’ is a danceability not to be fucked with. Sure, this is
heavy, it punches with aplomb and has the subtlety of a 9.0 earthquake, but
it’s also very fun, like some sordid doom metal disco centrepiece. The bounce
of the beat that grapples with some highly potent Iommi-isms from guitarist
Jeff Owens is tailor made for the party environment, the might and melodies of
his vocal performance making it an instant earworm.
‘Last’ is a little more linear to what
we have come to expect from this band, a sluggish sledgehammer of a song that
drones and explodes like a warzone, it sounds instantly familiar and
invigorating. Entombed deeper within their towering doom metal thump here
though, is a classic rock sensibility which most clearly bleeds through in some
blues-tinted guitar lines. They weave fluently in and out of the cannoning
mortar like drum work of Nick Lose and the dark rumbling bass of Ben Clarkson.
However,
sandwiched between the infectious flit of ‘The
Enemy’ and the show stopping ‘Light
Years’, ‘Last’ is, while still
remaining a quality song, somewhat overshadowed. But that’s credence to ‘Light Years’ which burns the midnight
oil with a venomous grit, power and passion setting the track ablaze. Some
songs just have a presence, a weight to them, a swagger and a classiness, when
it all just comes together perfectly and this is one of those songs. The old
cliché of having your breath taken away by the band’s individual and collective
performances on this monster of a track is very applicable here, but I’ll
refrain from such half-arsed journalism; what I will say however, is that it’s
best to keep it away from asthmatics.
At
a glance the fourth and final track on ‘The
Enemy’, an extended version of its namesake opener, seems a little bit of a
cop out. That is far from the truth though, fortunately. An extra four minutes
in length, the extended take journeys down the longer, more scenic route here,
with trudging, mud-baked jams littered throughout. It sees the band feeling
freer, less constricted.
It’s the perfect track to zone out to and forget the outside world exists – but
as far as personal taste is concerned, the shorter, snappier version is much
more to the point and effective. It’s that song and the cacophonous ‘Light Years’ which leave the biggest
bruises upon your consciousness, they have done a sterling job once more.
So
without further ado check out the exclusive stream of The track “Light Years” which is also taken from the
forthcoming animated movie “The Planet
of Doom: An Animated Tale of Metal and Art”.
“The Enemy” will be released on March 15
and will be a limited press of 100 CDs, with an added bonus track. Plans are afoot for a cassette sometime
within the next two months, which will also be limited to 100, with added bonus
material. You can preorder a digitial copy now by pulling the trigger here and CD/Cassette will be available here
Be
sure to head over to the The Planet of Doom instagram page today, for the Goya
takeover.
