It’s been a busy time for Poland’s black/thrash hybrid garota. Following on from last year’s split EP with compatriots Scrüda (reviewed here), the band hit us with their second long player Z mieczem na gwiazdy…, a set of seven songs that bristles unbridled fury. Taking all that was good about their previous releases and pulverising it into unheard forms, Garota are here to claim the extreme metal crown.
There’s something about a musical trio, that when combined correctly, creates a sound that’s truly awe inspiring. It’s a hard chemistry to master, but it’s an alchemy Motörhead had, Budgie did, and so do Garota. Logically, it really shouldn’t happen, but those reduced numbers create a sound that’s far bigger than their constituent parts; with no place to hide, each musician must come to the fore and that’s precisely what happens here. It’s a set up that’s certainly not made for shrinking violets and it is from this laying open that Garota derive much of their power. It’s a formation that lends itself very well to extroverts and each member of this ensemble ensure that all the needles are pushed towards the red. After the briefest of introductions Asbiel’s guitar scythes through the air like a guillotine blade that’s racing towards your neck, and then the band are off, delivering a rather bombastic brand of blackened thrash. Asbiel also provides vocals and his style reminds me of Agnostic Front’s Roger Miret (which, of course, is a good thing) and adds a sense of urgency to proceedings, a sense of expediency usually only found on hardcore punk releases. ‘Z mieczem na gwiazdy cz. 1’ is the opening track and it sets a dangerous precedent for the coming storm as the band blitz their way through seven slabs of prime molten metal. Bassist Goatcraft and drummer Witchfucker make a formidable rhythm section, mixing up rhythms and tempos to great effect and ensuring than things never become staid.
Garota are the type of band who offer no mercy, once they have their foot on the listener’s throat they keep it there. The great thing about the brand of metal they serve up is that which does exactly what it states on the tin. While this might not be finely nuanced and intricate, it comes fully loaded with rollocking riffs, skull-battering bass and hellfire vocals and all delivered with bags of energy. However, don’t mistake the band’s approach for lack of invention because this album is bursting at the seams with good ideas. Take part two of the title track which bookends the album, it’s feisty and brings the album to a cataclysmic conclusion.
With an album title that translates as “With a sword to the stars…”, this album finds Garota shaking their fists towards the heavens with Nietzschean fury and challenging the gods to a dual. And I bet that Garota will win.
- Z mieczem na gwiazdy… is released via Godz Ov War Productions and is available now (from here).
Track List:
- Z mieczem na gwiazdy cz. 1
- Posiądę cię jak źywą
- Hades juź czeka
- Matka
- Z grzechu obmyci
- Per mortem ad astra
- Z mieczem na gwiazdy cz. 2
