Goya: 777 (2013)

Rites to Re-Hash the Wizard

Review by joanismylover, the third metal attorney.

A wise heavy metal reviewer recently wrote that there ain't anything new out there, so if you are going to bring it, BRING IT.* This author agrees, and that sentiment fits seamlessly with the Powerwolf Rule. Most of the good shit already kicked your ass and its damn near impossible to be darkly original or scary, at least to the seasoned heavy metal aficionado. As previously noted, the heavy metal masses like what the like, so attempts at originality either fall flat or are not novel.** So this leaves purveyors of the heavy with only one option. What's left for the band is to feel it. To love it. To pour heart and soul and (goats') blood into the art. In short, to BRING IT. Goya have not - wisely - tried to be original, different, or "scary." The question remains: Did they BRING IT?


777 is one of the most astonishing re-"Hash"ings of Witchcult Today-era-Electric Wizard this author has ever heard.^ Two exceptional and distinguishable songs aside, the bulk of 777 could land easily on Black Masses or Witchcult, right down to the singer's tone and delivery. In fairness, he's a better singer than Jus Oborn but, well, legalize drugs and murder, that's not a critique of EW but praise to Goya. Play "Night Creeps" before or after "Satyr IX" off EW's 2010 release and the only thing which will distinguish as Goya is the production (slightly crisper than EW) and the aforementioned singer. Land "Rites of Hashing" after "The Chosen Few" from EW's 2007 release and the listener would be forgiven for expecting "Tourquemada '71" was up next. "Death's Approaching Lullaby" is the best song EW never wrote.^^ All of which is to say that Goya's 777 is frightfully exceptional stoner metal that dooms to the masters, that dares to out-wizard the Wizard.

"Necrodance" and "Blackfire" do much to enhance the band's credentials, as moving away from the EW template and into more slamming territory, with the former being one of the best stoner metal songs since Acrimony's "Hymns to the Stone". But for Electric Wizard's pre-eminence and legendary status in these hallowed, unholy circles of metal, and Goya's blatant worship of those black mass altars, this release would score near perfect for me. Goya have, on 777, most certainly, BROUGHT IT. So much so that the listener should go out, act accordingly, and be able to say he just bought it.

4.5 out of 5 stars.



*FMA, and yes, I'm paraphrasing.
**http://fullmetalattorney.blogspot.com/2012/11/yakuza-beyul-2012.html - Yakuza pulled it off for this author on its 2012 release, Beyul.
^"hash" - get it? Haha. "LOL"
^^use of the non-metal word "Lullaby" notwithstanding.