Written by Zax
- God Complex – “To Decay In A Deathless World”
- Hardcore from the UK
- Released independently on October 7th, 2021
- 8.6/10
2021 has been a bit… dry for hardcore. It’s very possible that I’m just not looking in the right places, but aside from a handful of releases (most of which you could only loosely dub hardcore) I’ve not found much. Given that, I was very excited to learn that God Complex were releasing a new album, but this excitement was bittersweet as well.
https://godcomplexuk.bandcamp.com/album/to-decay-in-a-deathless-world
Back in the early days of Zax Record Reviews, one of the first official reviews I ever wrote was for their 2018 EP, Created Sick. It’s a fantastic EP and I enjoy coming back to it, I’ve not been a very active fan, cause they haven’t released much since and the international shipping is pretty steep from the UK to America, that said, they have managed to make a significant impression on me. With the announcement of their new album, they also announced their break-up. This is their first and final full length album, one chance to go out with a bang, and man did they deliver.
I knew the album was at least going to be good, but they really brought the thunder here on an album that’s relentlessly raw and brutal, while also being more atmospheric than I expected. The production is rough and the vibe is thick with severity and danger.
This album is fully and immediately chaotic. The riffs are absolutely deadly; they’re deep, guttural bursts of noise that pair with the urgency of the panic chords masterfully. Some of the nastiest breakdowns I’ve ever heard reside on this album, they seriously did not have to go as hard as they did with them breakdowns but I love that they did. The snare tone is also perfect here, the percussion in general hits hard.
This album is haunted by a thick gothic smog, which was an unexpected pivot, but a welcome one. The bitter melancholy communicated through the clean vocals and melodic, noisy moments sort of signifies a proper ending, an unsettling swan song. The emotion conveyed through the intense vocal performance is of pure rage and overbearing aggression. Hardcore can be one of the very best genres for communicating emotions if used correctly.
A lot of the best and most prolific early hardcore bands had short, sporadic careers with very small discographies, and that trend has seemingly carried on through generations. It’s sad to see these guys call it quits so early, but I hope y’all will join me in remembering the kickass music they did leave us with, because this record is a triumph.
8.6
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