The Last Of Lucy – Godform

Written by on 16-06-2024 at 22:41.

No idea how a band comes up with the name The Last Of Lucy. But when “brutal death” and Transcending Obscurity Records are catching my eye in the Zware Lijst, I’m definitely paying attention. The releases from this label are often daring and of high to excellent quality. It’s like those guys have a nose for it. Well, to each their own, I guess. I’m fortunate enough to be in a position to write a review about it.

Godform is the third album by the Americans. The second album Moksha and the debut Ashvattha have not been reviewed on Zware Metalen. Could it be due to the somewhat peculiar band name? Or have my colleagues been sleeping? In essence this was a band – according to the metal archives – that played mathcore. You know, those typical impossible riffs intertwined with plenty of explosives. Nowadays, the band leans towards technical, progressive death, with the brutal aspect really coming to the front. Heavy bombs often explode like breakdowns, blasts tear everything apart at breakneck speed, and the guitars rage on. The vocals hover between scream and grunt, or a combination of both. Never too generic, in any case. We’re in for a solid half-hour with this Godform.

The promo mentions references to Inferi, The Faceless, Archspire, The Zenith Passage, and Godless Truth. And while this is a fairly on-point list, with Archspire and The Faceless coming closest, the name Infant Annihilator keeps popping in my head. The reason for this is the typical guitar work that often briefly ascends – this technique probably has a name, if anyone knows it please shoot me a message – and the extreme drums. The musical onslaught is provided with a remarkably clear sound production, making most of every detail perceptible to keen ears. With an opener like Wormhole, you’re immediately transported to a parallel universe, as dizzying blasts are pumped through the speakers at breakneck speed. A brief moment of respite is enough before the band resumes its relentless assault. With Empyreal Banisher, the frenzy continues nonchalantly, and I’m reminded of Archspire‘s drumming, gravity blasts, and all sorts of crazy stuff. And there is a brief moment of calm here as well before the insane polyrhythmic drums, staccato riffs, and monstrous vocals make your jaw drop all the way to the floor.

The shared Twin Flame above starts with fifty-five seconds of machine-gun metal, followed by a short session of free jamming and improvisation. What follows essentially defies the laws of gravity – with another similar relaxation moment that seamlessly integrates saxophone (?) sounds – in a bizarre way. The ear-shattering Shedim Seance convinces me at once that an enormous amount of notes, sounds, and tones can fit into two minutes and twenty-one seconds. In moments like this the band comes very close to the aforementioned Infant Annihilator.

The vocal outbursts during Sanguinary Solace must be out of this world. What dedication and extreme commitment this vocalist and band as a whole must have! And then, when Sentinel Codex opens with some ethereal, ambient-like elements, I am thinking the Americans will take it easy but how wrong can an editor be. The scoundrels just continue hanging out their dirty laundry, albeit somewhat slower in the initial phase, before picking up speed again. It’s a lot, it’s much, extremely much, but at the same time, it’s mightily impressive. Fortunately, the coherence remains intact, allowing us to still speak of songs with a beginning and an end. Darkest Night of the Soul continues with the same antics and convinces effortlessly. Angelic Gateway is again a shorter track, with another bizarre vocal opening, reminiscent of Archspire‘s Oliver Rae Aleron. During Anima Flux, the riffs are the only thing keeping me standing, as I can hardly take much more than this. It’s so beastly hyped-up and technical that I’m almost in need of a short break for my ears and brain.

The closing title track grants me that much-needed rest just before the second minute when The Last Of Lucy manages to vary with a short atmospheric piece and matching clean vocals, sparing me a bit. The extreme guitar solos complete the picture. There are few bands that combine intense brutality with technique as well as The Last Of Lucy from California. The downside of this album is that it demands something from the listener, making fatigue a lurking danger. But overall, within the genre, this is a piece of dynamic aggression that I deeply admire.

Score:

91/100

Label:

Transcending Obscurity Records, 2024

Tracklisting:

  1. Wormhole
  2. Empyreal Banisher
  3. Twin Flame
  4. Shedim Seance
  5. Sanguinary Solace
  6. Sentinel Codex
  7. Darkest Night of the Soul
  8. Angelic Gateway
  9. Anima Flux
  10. Godform

Line-up:

  • Josh De La Sol – Vocals
  • Gad Gidon – Guitars
  • Derek Santistevan – Bass
  • Josef Hossain-Kay – Drums

Links: