It’s time to retire the genre term “technical death metal.” Let’s be real, it’s just as deep as calling Brooklyn black metal “angular.” So they’re good at their instruments, is that really going to be the main focus? Or are we going to finally indict techdeath for its lack of songwriting? I know, I’m being harsh, but mostly because there are very good examples of technicality-forward death metal out there, namely French metal mutants Gorod‘s new single “We Are the Sun Gods.” At a staggering five minutes, into which is a lot of room to cram many, many notes, Gorod’s flair for the extreme in both musicianship and musicality is given plenty of breathing space to explore. Yes, the riffs are hard to play, but there is a sort of catchy playfulness in what is generally a 2serious4u type of music, exemplified in a lengthy sci-fi-inspired instrumental which occupies “We Are the Sun Gods'” mid-section. With a penchant for the more progressive end of death metal (and we should be calling Gorod progressive death metal if anything else. You don’t call it ‘tremolo-picked black metal.’ Keep up), Gorod’s oddball songwriting and chord progressions are truly the shining point here.
From the band:
“Welcome to a Shakespearean interpretation of the world upside down, in a story where God finds himself the creator of idols. The sun, his major work, was created with his own hands. This life-giving star, however, presents a certain hostility. In fact, it will burn our world down in flames. But the creator’s greatest success is us. Carved in his image, we seem inexorably sentenced to fall into hubris. This “solar” arrogance is leading us to our downfall. And it is not by creating in our turn deified objects that we will prevent all light from going out…”
Gorod will independently release their new album The Orb on March 10.
Tour Dates:
GOROD w/ Cognitive, Summoning The Lich, Flub:
3/16/2023 The Meadows – Brooklyn, NY
3/17/2023 Atlas – Washington, DC
3/18/2023 Black Forge – Pittsburgh, PA
3/19/2023 No Class – Cleveland, OH
3/20/2023 Sanctuary – Detroit, MI
3/21/2023 Cobra Lounge – Chicago, IL
3/22/2023 X-ray – Cudahy, WI
3/23/2023 Zymurgy – Menomonie, WI
3/24/20231867 – Lincoln, NE
3/25/2023 Roxy Theater – Denver, CO
3/26/2023 Urban Lounge – Salt Lake City, UT
3/27/2023 Shredder – Boise, ID
3/29/2023 The Big Dipper – Spokane, WA
3/30/2023 Funhouse – Seattle, WA
3/31/2023 High Water Mark – Portland, OR
4/01/2023 Old Ironsides – Sacramento, CA
4/02/2023 The X Bar – Cupertino, CA
4/03/2023 1720 – Los Angeles, CA
4/04/2023 The Underground – Mesa, AZ
4/06/2023 Tumbleroot – Santa Fe, NM
4/07/2023 Haltom Theater – Dallas, TX
4/08/2023 Come And Take It Live – Austin, TX
4/09/2023 Scout Bar – Houston, TX
4/10/2023 Downtown Music Hall – Pensacola, FL
4/11/2023 Crowbar – Tampa, FL
4/12/2023 The Haven – Orlando, FL
4/14/2023 Milestone – Charlotte, NC
4/15/2023 The Bike Shop – Richmond, VA
