GosT – Behemoth
This is getting close to GosT overload for this year, Christ. If you haven’t noticed, we’ve been GosT fanatics for several months, after his compatriot Perturbator dropped a line about him. So first we checked out his S/T last year, and then we moved on to an awesome interview with the skull-headed, dark synthwave fiend. We learned about his development as an artist, his general focus, how he writes, and first-and-foremost for today we got a taste of what was to come, his then upcoming full-length Behemoth. Having already heard two tracks and talking with the label responsible for it, Blood Music, and also learning it sold out in only fifteen minutes after the preorder began, we knew it had to be something killer. And, finally, here it is. See, the thing is, since we switched to only reviewing stuff we have a positive opinion on, we’ve ceased bothering with bashing, we only tell you about what we actually like, since it has more purpose anyway. And we like, or rather love, or rather are obsessed, with GosT. He proved to us several times already that his mastery of ancient tech goes far beyond the normal dark synthwave, and Behemoth has taken that even further. It’s officially released April 28th, and below are some sample tracks. After it drops we’ll have the full track player via Blood Music’s Bandcamp for your listening pleasure.
Should have really picked up one of those splatter vinyl copies of it, but who in the hell expects anything to sell out in only fifteen stinking minutes? It’s as soul-crushing as the Kraftwerk MoMA ticket sales debacle in 2012 that led to a number of hilarious video renditions of the pain we all experienced. So we were sad to feel such pain again, but here it’s different because GosT deserves it. Kraftwerk could sell out half of North America, so for something like this that mainly fans dwelling in the recesses of earth enjoy, it’s nice to see him getting proper credit. So with that out of the way, let’s check out this hot chunk of synth, Behemoth.
Oh my GosT has outdone that skull head of his this time around. Oh my oh my call us sexually addicted. Behemoth takes this master’s work to the next level above the usual level. As we found with his S/T, he is the genius behind the synthwave beat. Most bands of this type, in a genre is restricted by sounds purposefully antiquated, eventually collapse, gasping for B-movie air, but GosT is able to keep the listener entirely hooked through the cheek and so deep in there it’s a permanent part of your flesh. After that intro gets you into the realm of sci-fi slasher film, Behemoth moves heavily into textured synth with heavy, beat-focused patterns that cut right into the brain. What’s best about it, though, is it doesn’t have those one or two tracks that overshadow the rest. None of that “ah, this one, skip to the next, no not that one, no next, next, there it is.” Never happens, because GosT has so easily mastered the medium that every track on this album, we tell you, is a listener. And one thing you’ll find here is further additions to the usual dark synthwave in the form of clean vocals (female) as well as samples that further develop the sound, taking it beyond the usual soundtrack emulation to something more. Really impressive, and it proves why it sold out so quickly, clearly everyone purchasing a copy is a mentat or something. In the future, keep this sort of thing up, develop it further with a theme, perhaps, and good God in Heaven and the Holy Trinity it will be wonderful.
Written by Stanley Stepanic
Gost – Behemoth
Blood Music
5 / 5
