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Such is the case with Godchilla who are one rare breed of band, not only do they hail from frigid Iceland where not even exploding volcanoes bring warmth but they also combine something with their doom I don’t think anyone has done before, surf music. Yes, that isn’t a misspelling Godchilla combine surf tunes with their doom leaving the listener to bang their head screaming WHY!?! and wondering how guys from Iceland got into surf music.
As odd as that coupling seems to be don’t fret because somehow they make it work beautifully. One of my favorite metal writer’s “Grim” Kim Kelly described them as “gonzo surf sludge” which I can’t really argue with only being able to add that it is “awesome gonzo surf sludge”.
I think I’ve already made it clear that I thoroughly enjoy Godchilla’s debut album Cosmatos so let me step you through it with a few quick thoughts. Cosmatos starts off with an instrumental track that sounds like it was plucked straight out of the bayou of Louisiana with the appropriate title of Back Home (In My Hut In The Swamp). I’ve heard less of a southern sound come from southern bands so already Godchilla had me intrigued.
The southern swagger ends with a voice booming from your speakers, “Concentrate”, and I don’t mind if I do! Track two, Montag the Magnificent, takes the southern flair of the opener breaking it into a blistering sludge track that again sounds like it could have made by any of the best NOLA bands doing it today. Its downtuned and fuzzy and all around just rocks. I’m hooked and we’ve barely begun.
The title track, Cosmatos, begins and you know you’re in for a fun filled ride into doom. The Sabbath-esque riff that begins the track blends one of those surfer tune like riffs in without overdoing it. It’s actually very subtle drifting back to the heavier Sabbath riff and back and forth as if warning you of what may lie ahead without beating you over the head with it which the sole lyric spells out for you very simply, “Out in the desert alone/not prepared for what’s to come.” Well played sirs, well played!
Track four, Kickin’ It To The Curb, begins (you’re half way through) with a riff reminding me of Suicidal Tendencies as it adds a little funk, again hinting at some of the that surf influence they foretold of in Cosmatos. It’s still pretty subtle bordering on the funk side of things but it’s there mixed in perfectly. The upbeat tune leads into the doomy bleakness of Millheimafasi (roughly translated by Google translate as Between Home Phase). The lyrics follow the mood of the music beginning with the verse, “Now it’s time for us to go/descend into the moss and snow/you are me and I am you/when we join the earth anew” that’s right we’ll all be together in death becoming the dirt others walk on. As a writer I’m impressed with the expression of so much yet said so simply.
The next track, Sörfað Fyrir Satan (Surfing For Satan), is described by the band as a surf song written by Satan himself. They begin it with an excerpt of the classic Mickey Rourke/Robert DeNiro film Angel Heart which happens to be one of my all time favorites. This is a full on surf song with some elements of doom and sludge added in but you should be picturing Satan hanging ten looking completely out of place on a surf board in the bright sunshine riding a giant wave. If you’re not into surf music you won’t like this instrumental track but I have to admit it’s so damn different that it’s fun to listen to.
The second to last track, Hovering Castle, Purple Sky, starts with a trippy surfer-esque riff with almost an oriental feel. The surfer riff is slowed down so that it isn’t overbearing as the full on surfer assault of the previous track. Like previous doomier track, Cosmatos, the lyrics are brief and poignant closer to psychedelia than doom but no less awesome for that fact. Then we come to the epic eleven and a half minute closer, Close To The Beyond/Hypnopolis, Again this track like Cosmatos has very sparse lyrics though they are sung hauntingly as if coming from beyond the grave or at the very least beyond this world. Three short lines and the rest is just a trippy doom laden ride to the end. “Az Amal Hum/I am your son/desert sun” are the entirety of the lyrics repeated complimenting the epic doom track perfectly.
I’ve listened to the entire album a few times now and I’m absolutely loving it. Admittedly I’m a sucker for good doom that isn’t the average fair. My favorite track is probably the album closer but there really isn’t a bad song in the mix on Cosmatos. On the ol’ 1-5 scale this one is a solid 4 for me. You should definitely check it out and I look forward to what the youngsters from Iceland do going forward. They could end up being something very special indeed.
The Links:
Bandcamp: HERE
Facebook: HERE
Words: Feind Gottes (editor, Thy Demons Be Scribblin)