What happens when you take one part The Lord Weird Slough Feg (bassist/vocalist Adrian Maestas), one part Spirit Adrift (guitarist Tom Draper), and one part Nite (Avinash Mittur)? You get Hands of Goro: The latest and greatest supergroup power trio to come out of the Bay Area metal underground. Although initially formed way back in 2016, the band has carefully spent the 8 years plotting their four-armed attack, twisting and turning traditional metal to their whim. The spectacularly unpredictable outcome can be heard on their self titled debut album.
Since Hands of Goro found its way into my inbox a couple months ago, I’ve given it countless listens. The simple answer is because the songs rule. However, there is a larger reason at play, that being with every subsequent listen, I find something new to appreciate. Even though I know how the album plays out by now, it still satisfies me with its diverse array of styles and steadfast dedication to all things traditional and true. The songwriting, production, and all around energy is rooted in the spirit of the NWOBHM heyday, when rules were nonexistent and bands were hungry for heaviness.
The opening “Prince of Shokan” is an excellent exercise in fantasy themed Thin Lizzy metal, packed with relentless grooves and punchy guitar riffs. This Thin Lizzy influence remains a cornerstone throughout, especially through Draper’s guitar leads, harmonies, and tone, but serves as an undertone on power/speed metal inspired cuts like “Demonizer” and “Uncanny”. If Phil Lynott had lived to follow up Thunder and Lightning, perhaps the end result would’ve sounded something like this. Underlying hints of thrash and punk rear their ugly head on “21st Century Plague” and “You Have No Face”, both nasty ragers filled with piss and vinegar.
By the time the Sabbathian doom romp that is “Waste of Blood” rolls around, one can’t help but try and stop their head from spinning. Over the course of roughly 20 minutes, Hands of Goro have assaulted us with a blinding display of heavy supremacy, each individual attack drawing from a different realm of the metal-sphere…and they’re still not finished. The tough as nails “End to End” recalls ’90s era Motörhead in all their midtempo sleaze rocking glory, before the fiery “Archduke of Fear” brings this affair to an explosive conclusion. It doesn’t take more than one listen of this 6 and a half minute barn burner to figure out why Draper was the one time live guitarist for Angel Witch.
If some of the moments on this album recall those of Slough Feg, that’s no coincidence. Maestas explained to us how a handful of these ideas were initially intended for his main outfit, but “didn’t work”, which is understandable. For as chaotic as Slough Feg’s approach to metal is, Hands of Goro’s is arguably even more so. That’s fine by me. I dig my metal on the weird side. True to their namesake, Hands of Goro “will give you a warrior’s death”, via air guitar ready riffs and the unstoppable power of metal.
8 out of 10
Label: Independent
Genre: Heavy Metal
For fans of: The Lord Weird Slough Feg, Angel Witch, Thin Lizzy