Hailing from Newport in Wales, progressive metallers Godsticks are back with their seventh album, Void. Recorded at Rockfield Studios with producer James Loughrey (Skindred, My Vitriol, The Darkness), it finds the four piece offering up ten tracks of explosive progressive metal that will appeal to fans of Dream Theater and latter-day Queensryche.
The album wastes little time in easing the listener in and opener M.I.A. gets straight to the point with its surging riff and foregrounded vocals. However, despite some solid guitar work, the very loud, sterile production for which the band have opted, renders it all rather clinical and lacking in low end and, although the Middle Eastern flourishes that wash through the second half do add a touch of atmosphere, it largely feels somewhat lifeless. Moreover, Darren Charles’ vocals, which sit somewhere between James La Brie and Brent Hinds, are positioned far too high in the mix, an issue that may well put listeners off from exploring further, especially as the same problems are repeated on second track Hold Back. While an energetic riff does its best to rip from the speakers, the heavy compression and over-loud vocals batter the listener, and it comes as something of a relief when the track concludes with a lengthy, if somewhat indulgent, instrumental section.
For those that do make it through the opening pair, things do improve – to a point. Watch It Burn is a rather more straightforward affair, with metallic riffs very much the order of the day and the keyboards paired way back. With a more sympathetic mix, you could lose yourself entirely, but it is a solid, more concise offering. Better still is the skittering Master Of A Plan, which sounds like Soundgarden covering Kid-A-era Radiohead. It is moments like this where Godsticks shine, their impressive songwriting and arrangement skills allowed to breathe where elsewhere these same qualities are stifled.
Equally solid is Torn Again, which harks back to Queensryche’s grungy Hear In The Now Frontier with its dynamic riffs and densely laired vocal harmonies. Unfortunately, Can’t Withstand, despite an addictive melody, suffers from the same unforgiving production that dogs the opening tracks. It’s a shame because, with its twitchy riff and stuttering synths, it should pack quite the punch, but it’s so dynamically squashed that it ends up causing fatigue instead, making you wonder if the band mixed for digital rather than physical formats.
Aptly titled, Ruthless Coward kicks off with a splenetic riff and syncopated rhythms, albeit with the same mix issues previously highlighted. Fortunately, the two-part Talking Through Walls returns to the lighter sound of Master Of A Plan and, if Darren sounds eerily like Chris Cornell here, it’s nevertheless an impressive performance that benefits from a more nuanced mix. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the heavier Part 2 is the less successful, as the overbearing mix is once more ramped up to full volume. Happily, things end on a high with a more nuanced piece. Heartfelt and shorn of the pyrotechnics that predominate elsewhere, Hope Is Burning is simply a good song, well played, and delivered with deft skill by the band.
There is no question that Godsticks are talented and there are moments on Void where the band’s songwriting skills shine through. Unfortunately, the appallingly unforgiving mix renders large swathes of the album simply inert, with the bottom end absent and the tinnitus-inducing, overly processed vocals detracting from the impact of the music. It’s honestly baffling that James Loughrey and mastering engineer Maor Appelbaum, who have a wealth of experience, allowed the album out in this state because with a more dynamic approach, this could have been a much stronger album. While fans of hyper-modern progressive metal will find elements to enjoy here, those who prefer a more nuanced, dynamic quality to their progressive music should look elsewhere. 6/10
