Review: “Last Village Standing” EP by God’s Bastard

Recorded, Mixed, and Mastered by Colin Marston at Menegroth, Duo God’s Bastard comprises Guitarist and Vocalist Drew Hays and dummer Lev Weinstein. The pair have a wealth of history between them with Floods and Krallice, though Brooklyn, New York isn’t the first place you’d associate with the Black Metal genre. Starting off in some style “Chaos Apologist”, a tune that brings to mind the rise and fall of a rough sea with with Jack Hammer kit work and building Black Metal riffs, it’s a fine piece of work. The choice of guitar tone accompanied by some of the clean vocal parts are surprisingly remenicent of Fall Of Troy but that comparison is soon crushed by the next set of unclean vocals, their harsh tones bouncing off the guitars nicely.

“God Raise The Sea” takes things down a more Progressive Black Metal path of epic grandeur showcasing some of Drew Hays storytelling abilities. Keeping a balance between the blackened unclean growling snarls and the cleaner shout gives a nice contrast in the vocal department while Colin Marston’s mixing job allows the drum sound to shine throughout. Lev Weinstein deserves much credit for a fine technical drumming performance that counter balances everything nicely. Then at the 7 minute mark there is the burst of a Hardcore riff and some beats that leap into a surprise solo flourish and final verse! Like a racehorse running wild in the paddock “To The Last Village Standing” takes no time in bursting to life, this time adding a second guitar layer underneath that underpins the main riff and gives the impression that a synth would on lesser mortals writings. The musicianship is second to none throughout. The use of a melodic break to build from with big sections of music between the verses borrows from other sub-genres and works to astonishing effect. There are a couple of places where the cleaner vocals are lost in the mix, though wether that’s intensional or not seems arguable. What God’s Bastard do is strike a happy medium between the sounds of Dratna and Skeleton Witch in fine fashion and while there are hints at Death Metal and even Crust Punk in places, it’s the Black Metal that shines darkest [8/10]

“Last Standing Village” by God’s Bastard is out now and available over at bandcamp