Golgothan are a death metal band from the US and this is their debut album.
Golgothan offer up 38 minutes of brutal death metal. Worshipping at the altar of modern song-based big-hitters such as Aborted and Cattle Decapitation, Leech is a great example of how to take inspiration from well-known names and produce something that’s well-worth getting stuck into.
Leech is a surprisingly engaging and well-constructed album. What do I mean by that? Well, alongside the requisite brutality and violent aggression that you would expect, we also get a few more sophisticated and emotive elements thrown into the mix too. With bands like Aborted and Cattle Decapitation as prime influences it should be expected I suppose, as both bands have risen above the pack by injecting atmosphere and melody into their ferocious grooves and bludgeoning blasting. Golgothan have followed these larger bands down a similar pathway and they show they’re quite adept at this mode of songwriting already, despite this being their first album.
The songs are crafted around catchy hooks first and foremost, whether this is a pummelling riff or a vocal refrain. The band’s fury is potent, but it is channelled into actual songs as opposed to being allowed to run wild and do whatever it likes. Golgothan’s crushing grooves are infectious, and the blast beats covered with sharp spikes. The band show an appreciation for the fine art of riffery that many bands do not, and there are several good examples of inventive brutality across the album’s playing time. Sometimes they also unleash a colourful melody or an atmospheric section that’s as striking as it is effective. With dynamic, energetic songwriting, Leech offers an above average collection of tracks.
Well, Golgothan seem to know very well what they’re doing with this form of death metal. Catchy, professionally delivered, and packed with murderous riffs, Leech hits the spot nicely.
If you’re in the meat market for contemporary brutality that has a lot more going for it than that of your average death metal butcher, then check out what Golgothan are up to here.
Highly recommended.
Wonderbox Metal 