Gorge (Land Bridge)
Crank this to 8.2 of 11
Released: 2019
Genre: Doom
Sounds Like: Khemmis, Elder, Monolord
War driven landscapes of the nation’s bloody past is the backbone of the Connecticut trio’s thematic overtones. At first rotation, we were intrigued by the drenching harmonies that Gorge deliver. Layers of distant chants and echoed pleasantries. More specifically, Gorge’s debut full length follows the journey of ancient hunters traveling beyond the mass of land leading into modern day Alaska in search of mammoth and reindeer. Quite specific indeed. The seven tracks weave patiently and are anchored by three lengthy epic tracks exceeding 10 minutes each.
Track Listing:
1. From the Gorge (3:59)
2. Land Bridge (8:38)
3. Blubbered (10:15)
4. Nokomis (5:42)
5. False Face (14:31)
6. Dream Bender (4:33)
7. Rise Of The Seven Sisters (13:34)
Standout Track:
"Nokomis" one of the shorter track nearing just six minutes absolutely blew us away. Justin’s fretwork is exceptional on this track. The stark melodies bouncing back and forth make for an overwhelming feeling of despair. The distant harmonies collide at one point sending chills throughout all while the brooding bass rhythms drive to the dark conclusion. This is an exceptional standout track.
Adult Beverage Pairing:
Dive into Relic Brewing from Plainville Connecticut. Their Relic ‘The Buckling’ TIPA is intense. At 10.5% ABV the notes are loud mosaic hops. A perfect match for the desolate landscapes that Gorge paint.
ROTATION RECAP :
Captivation and Variety
8.2 out of 11
Vocal Performance
8.9 out of 11
Weight of the Heavy
8.6 out of 11
Fretwork Prowess
8.2 out of 11
Percussion Prowess
8.3 out of 11
Overall Album Flow
8.1 out of 11
Contrast
7.5 out of 11
Album Cover Aesthetics
8.4 out of 11
Production Value
8.0 out of 11
Final Thoughts:
Land Bridge is quite spacial and sometimes overly patient. We found our minds wandering a bit through some sections getting lost in the reoccurring doom riffs. What shines on this album are the distant harmonies. The vocal blend makes for a vivid picture of desolation and frigidness. We appreciate the overall consistency to this album. While we may not have picked up all the central themes after quite a few rotations, we feel the intrigue. Grab this one at a very reasonable price on BandCamp.
Gorge are:
Joel - Bass / Vocals
Justin - Guitar / Vocals
Mark - Drums / Percussion / Vocals
Follow Gorge: Bandcamp / Facebook
