Earlier this year, when members of the Chariot, Norma Jean, and Glass Ocean announced they were working on a new project, there was an underlying assumption among fans and the press that the new material would at least be somewhat related to the cathartic metalcore upon which they built their careers. Instead, Holy+Gold is a completely different beast. Feral Children, the band’s debut EP, is less technical than anything from previous projects, but it’s more nuanced, both in tone and emotion. Rather than relying on mosh pit-ready breakdowns, the EP is built on an indomitable wall of distortion that twists and cascades like a glacier with each chord change.
The record’s overwhelming heaviness is never oppressive; rather, it is a constructive force which drives the darker moments of the record, especially the fourth track, “Pyramids.” Not only is it propelled by some of the most visceral guitar work on the album, it’s also the only track that invokes the hardcore energy of Norma Jean, albeit in a more narcotic state.
The Southern, snarly grit which appears in doses throughout the EP is a balanced by atmospheric reverb that has more in common with Electra 2000 era Hum than most post-hardcore albums, but that’s what makes Feral Children work so well. It’s rare for seasoned musicians to make such a pointed change to their sound, but Holy+Gold’s evolution is fresh and organic. As a result, nothing about this record seems forced or strained. It’s an example of the five metal veterans’ ability to ignore expectations, shatter preconceptions, and enjoy making kickass music.
Though the five-piece relies on the same basic sonic building blocks throughout the record (loud guitars, loud cymbals, loud everything), the record never loses its intensity thanks to the punch drunk energy of frontman Keller Harbin. Albums that have nothing more to provide other than noise are often blunted by the inescapable numbing that comes with endless cacophony, but thanks to Harbin’s surprising vocal range, each of the six tracks on Feral Children take on their own character, from the wonky “Bat-Bird” to the sludgy “IV Witches.” The EP closes with the epic “Crooked Path, Crooked Smile,” a slow burning number that draws sparks from every facet of the ensemble, and offers the final piece of unrelenting evidence that Holy+Gold is for real.
Feral Children is available now as a name your price download via Bandcamp.
More Info
Bandcamp: holygold.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @holygoldband
Instagram: @holygoldband