Gozu are a stoner/grunge band from the US and this is their sixth album.
Three years after Remedy, Gozu VI has arrived to rock your socks off. Across 47 minutes Gozu’s new record has arrived to show you a good time, while also making you feel something too.
Gozu have slapped together an enjoyable collection of tracks on this new record of theirs. Be it metal, grunge, stoner, or whatever, the music takes its components and rocks the Hell out with them. Well, some of the time it does at any rate. For these moments, the music is full of energetic riffs, dance-worthy grooves, and emotion-rich singing; Gozu VI brings the jams and kicks them out like nobody’s business. But, there’s another side of the album too – a full half really, which focuses on the more atmospheric and emotionally dense side of the band’s sound. The album’s sequencing and flow is interesting in this regard – Gozu have essentially gone for fast song, slow song, fast song, slow song, etc. It works better than it probably should, to be fair.
To be clear – Gozu’s music always rocks, and is always drenched in feeling, but what we get at any given time depends on which aspect that they want to focus on. Absolutely everything is underpinned by feeling though, which works especially well on the slower, doomier songs such as early highlight Midnight Express.
Gozu VI is well-crafted, with the songwriting and performances of the band both shining throughout. The songs are catchy and packed with hooks, while also portraying feeling and mood effectively. Gozu know how to write this sort of music in their sleep, but on Gozu VI they’re wide awake and raring to go.
Highly recommended.
Wonderbox Metal 