EP REVIEW: Goetia – Goetia
They may only have one release to their name so far, but Washington DC’s GOETIA have already managed to firmly cement themselves as one of the most promising new acts to come out of the US death metal underground in recent years. Each of the band’s three members are well established elements of said underground scene, featuring in acts such as GENOCIDE PACT, BOTTOMFEEDER and BRAIN TOURNIQUET. The band’s musical talent is not in doubt, and upon the release of their self-titled debut EP in May 2023 they had arguably one of the most acerbic and intense debuts of recent memory on their hands. Now, with its reissue via Persistent Vision Records, this excellent EP is finally out on vinyl, and gaining the wider attention that it so thoroughly deserves.
The EP begins with Nachzehrer, a chunky slab of death metal with monstrous hooks, juggernaut drumming, frenetic, unhinged leads and coarse, searing vocals, all of which draw from a classic death metal sound without making their influences too apparent in the songwriting. Lurching between domineering rhythms and feral, chaotic flourishes, this is an incredibly strong start to the record, going straight for the jugular with a powerful and impactful offering. Goetia follows in a similar vein, with the emphasis placed more prominently on the fast and cacophonous sections which work extremely well alongside the caustic vocal performances, serving as yet another varied and lean take on death metal. Kokkuri (こっくり) shifts abruptly in the opposite direction musically, with a slower, beefier sound built upon thunderous drums, measured guitar work and a rumbling bassline making up the bulk of the music, with a few blistering moments peppered throughout for good measure. It’s a much more reserved but nonetheless bestial affair that shows that the band are capable of great, punchy songs as well as angular, nauseating ones.
Cemetery Violence possesses a sense of urgency and intensity that makes it stand out significantly, although it doesn’t stray from the formula of much of this record, with demented melodicism, especially driven drums and snarling, acidic vocals making this sound utterly ferocious and punishing at points. Christ Shadow, the final, lengthy number on the record proper, moves drastically away from old school death metal and more into a slick death-doom style, with bleak leads and intricate drum hooks establishing this as distinct from the preceding four songs. The track’s second half ratchets through the gears, and this abruptly morphs into arguably the most belligerent and frenzied effort on the whole EP, just as the opening minutes were easily the record’s most subdued, making this an impressively eclectic and imaginative way to bring the record to a close.
As far as debut releases go, this is exceptionally impressive, boasting fantastic musicianship and stunning, catchy songwriting that manages to capture a lot of the punchier elements that make classic death metal so powerful as a genre, without sacrificing any of the underlying aggression or rabid touches in order to sound as great as it does. There’s a pronounced 90s death metal influence, with a noticeable goregrind touch also present in the mix, notably in the vocal deliveries, without straying into the realms of carbon copy, and this style is coupled with a modern production and some impressive, subtle flourishes that help make this a lot more impactful and memorable than many records by modern OSDM-inspired acts. Goetia is a fantastic, if fleeting, slab of death metal that’s very hard not to love, setting a lofty benchmark and laying some seriously sturdy foundations for the band’s musical future.
Rating: 9/10
Goetia is out now via Persistent Vision Records.
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