ALBUM REVIEW: All Flesh Is Grass – Godeater

If there is one issue that is dominating headlines across the globe, is the environment. With the likes of Greta Thunberg and the direct activism of Extinction Rebellion, pressure towards reducing negative impact of mankind on the environment is only going to increase. Addressing environmental issues has always been prevalent in music, including metal. GOJIRA and CATTLE DECAPTIATION are prominent examples of that. Now, enter GODEATER. These promising Scots have been building hype for some time now, and after turning heads following performances at UK Tech-Fest for example or racking up streams in their tens of thousands for their single Exsanguinated, debut full-length All Flesh Is Grass is here.

Whilst the attention will be firmly directed towards the band’s environmental subject matter, it would be foolish to simply dismiss GODEATER as just another 21st Century socially and environmentally conscious outfit. Whilst these themes are the driving force of the record’s narrative, the band are are far more than just their lyrical content. Musically, elements of DECAPITATED, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER and GOJIRA are thrown into a mixing pot to forge GODEATER‘s palette and the end product is simply gorgeous. Anoxia wastes no time in setting an immediate precedent for their debut outing as dazzling guitar-play from Ross Beagan and Andrew Macdonald instantly demonstrates the technical skill within their ranks whilst Josh Graham channels his inner Trevor Strnad with some expertly dispatched devilish screams. A strong and confident start here.

Across All Flesh Is Grass, GODEATER‘s technicality and smart approach to song-structures impresses. Anoxia flows organically into Eternal Ending which erupts like the a volcano through some hefty passages of tech-driven riffing before subsiding into a glorious instrumental passage at the track’s halfway point whilst the ample grooves of Inertia Haze effectively sink their claws in. Living up to their chosen style of metal, the technicality within GODEATER‘s sonic palette is the glue that holds their sound together and the sheer skill within the band’s ranks is simply jaw-dropping. All Flesh boasts some truly impressive guitar-play from Beagan and Macdonald as bassist Will Keogh‘s hefty bass tones keep the tone obtusely heavy and the subtle incorporation of synth elements makes the mood all the more gripping.

Then there’s Salvation. A near eight minute Goliath, the song demonstrates GODEATER at their very best. Swinging from passages of sheer technical madness to moments of chilling ethereal beauty where minimality works like a charm, the very nature in which the band flows through the track is so outrageously confident, it stands as arguably one of the strongest moments on the entire record. If there was any lingering doubts about the prowess of GODEATER, Salvation will instantly squash those doubts.

Following the emotive interlude of Spirare, The Dreich‘s dizzying lead riffing soars above the carnage below and the clever instrumentation of the lead guitar work acts as the perfect counter to the dense and chunky riffing, Silent Spring feels like it could fit right at home on any of THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER‘s studio output and finale Blood Moon ends the record on a resounding high. Here, the band keep the momentum of what came before flowing in top gear as they offer one final bout of technical madness and Graham‘s vocals are as emphatic as it has come to be expected. A finish with a flourish.

For a debut record, All Flesh Is Grass is staggering. The level of technicality on offer here can go to toes with the leading names in technical death metal, the subtlety in which the band conjure moments of reflection is executed remarkably well and the way in which the record flows as a whole is the cherry on the cake. Bands that are the product of hype and anticipation usually fall short of the weighty expectations, but GODEATER have smashed through the glass ceiling with All Flesh Is Grass, and now, the world is very much their oyster.

Rating: 9/10

All Flesh Is Grass is out now via self-release.

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