Ghoulgotha
To Starve The Cross
Dark Descent Records
Release Date: 13 June 2016
Review by Matt Bolton
Three-piece Ghoulgotha from San Diego, California produce their third offering of death metal, with a tinge of doom. The riff HEAVY opener, Village of Flickering Torches, showcases the intense leads provided by the guitarists. The drums come at full force with a stop/start technique on doomy highlight, Pangaea Reforms. Some blast beats soon come into the devilish formula with some iconic death metal riffage at around 4:30 into the track.
The Sulphur Age, is generous when it comes to chaotic leads. The vocals soar on this track over the doom inspired riffs, which lead to some brutal bass and drum combos. Not short of a dud track. The ten tracks we get here are all worthy of a listen. Abyssic Eyes, is a favourite of mine with its constant heaviness. There’s a lot is going on in this track, stellar riffs, frantic bass and faultless drumming make this track a winner.
The home stretch does not let up with back to back greats such as Thou, Beneath Ligaments Foul and the HEAVY hitter, Wounds Immaculate. The use of blast beats and inspired leads make this a fun traditional death metal album, something that tends to be lost at times these days. Album closer, A Holy Book Scribed by Wolves, is an epic way to finish up with some acoustic thrown in for good measure. If you feel it’s time for a little death/doom then give To Starve The Cross a spin. You won’t be disappointed. Besides, everyone needs a little death metal in their lives.
4/5
