Desert Psychlist has been banging the drum for Brazil's Gods & Punks since first hearing their debut EP "The Sounds of Earth" (2016), and with good reason. Gods and Punks are a band who have steadily evolved as a unit both in instrumental prowess and their song writing and arrangement, the band steadily getting better and stronger with every release. The band continue building their reputation and climbing that upward curve with their latest release "Enter The Ceremony of Damnation" and we continue to bang that drum for them
"Enter The Ceremony of Damnation" is the third part of Gods & Punks "Damnation" trilogy and the latest in what the band are calling their "Voyage" series, a series that has taken them from the heat of the desert to the cold darkness of the tomb. As befitting its tomb setting the music on "Enter The Ceremony of Damnation" has dank claustrophobic vibe, dark, yet not brutal, grooves that are doomic yet not exactly doom. This darker element of the band sound is also reflected in the albums lyrics with every glimpse of hope, "A heartbeat, heard from a mountain top, it shows there, might be a way" ("From Sand To Throne"), counterbalanced with despair, "When I look outside I see claws and fangs, cybernetic fiends beasts with many names" ("Transparent Chains"). Don't however even begin to think that "Enter The Ceremony of Damnation" is a joyless, pessimistic affair, far from it. there are gloriously bright shards of light permeating the darkness of this tomb and they manifest themselves in the albums swirling bluesy guitar solo's, funky prog interludes and cool mellow reverb soaked vocal tones, a perfect balance of light and shade that sits easy on the ear and sends shivers of pure delight hurtling up the spine.
There are many fine bands coming out of Brazil of late but there is something a little special, a little magical about Gods & Punks that just inches them above the following pack. If there was one Brazilian band you would put money on gaining international recognition outside of their homeland then Gods & Punks would be odds on favourites.
Check 'em out …..
© 2019 Frazer Jones
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