Gaza
East


4.5
superb

Review

by Edwin USER (14 Reviews)
April 3rd, 2010 | 38 replies


Release Date: 2004 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Gaza’s debut EP gives the war in the East legs enough to come and kick you in the face, in your own home.

If you like your tunes heavier than an elephant in chainmail, this should be the next thing you buy. Over food, over water; don’t make this one wait.

Seeing as I am one of only 10 people to have rated this, you’re probably wondering who Gaza is. A grime/grindcore band from Salt Lake City, who would ‘rather throw up rubbers than go to church’. Enough said?

The first impression which comes through on the opener, Kasam Rocket, is that the opening section sounds like Mastodon’s Remission. This doesn’t last long, and Gaza proceed to stomp you into the ground with one of the heaviest releases your ears will meet.

Midway through Femur, you will find yourself looking upwards, just to be sure that the sky hasn’t fallen, and that your roof is intact. The prior section of the song, which is a more typical form of aggressive metal, is good enough in its own right. Gaza seem to then be reminded of what gets their goat enough to churn out music this heavy, and they go ballistic. The track then decrescendos in intensity, and ends with a scratchy playing of an old ballad-type song, radio style.

Once you have tilted your head back down from looking at the ceiling, you’ll find you are in the East, in more ways than just listening to the song of that title. There are pulsations of atmospheric chanting throughout this track which are affective enough to almost throw you into the skin of those soldiers fighting that hideous war; it is quite an intoxicating few minutes, and if you aren’t taken aback on first listen you should probably check your pulse.

Hospital, aptly titled, offers a reprieve from intensity. The clever little clean-guitar ditty is enough for you to stitch some wounds up, swig from your whiskey flask, and ride back into battle, on the back of Cattle.

This track offers something a little different; while not Justin Beiber’s latest hit, Cattle isn’t as devastating as most Gaza tunes. In fact, in this song exists a vocal variation. The scream develops into a kind of distorted talk, and then a shout. And then, back to a scream. Time for the best metal song I’ve ever heard.

Gristle sets out quite ordinarily; unbeknownst to the first time listener, the world will not exist at the conclusion of these four minutes. What happens in this track, with about a minute and a half remaining of the EP, is that heaviness is personified. Subwoofers seem to grow in thy pissy little earphones. It builds slowly, but it can be sensed. It is simply the heaviest, most beautiful ending to a record I’ve come across. Exemplary.

The East EP is different to the band’s following albums in one main respect; the production is more typical of an ordinary metal band, while the albums have that muddied tone which seem to give Gaza a unique sound. However, the song writing on this release is more than capable of making up for that. Plus, Gristle belongs as an album closer, and its re-done brother sits crowded in the middle of I Don’t Care Where I Go When I Die.

It could be argued that this is the best Gaza release to date.



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user ratings (106)
3.9
excellent

Comments:Add a Comment 
Edwin
April 3rd 2010


1399 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Sorry if this descended into a track by track.

IRAI
April 3rd 2010


1567 Comments


IDCWIGWID is my 2nd fav album ever, and this slays as well.

Edwin
April 3rd 2010


1399 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Too right they slay. IDCWIGWID and this are in my top 10 ever.

iBosley
April 3rd 2010


268 Comments


Cool that this got a review

HenchmanOfSanta
April 3rd 2010


1994 Comments


Sounds cool. He Is Never Coming Back is tight. Also, I lol'd at this:

members also liked
Norma Jean O' God The Aftermath
Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here


Edwin
April 3rd 2010


1399 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I also got a laugh out of the members also liked. Floyd ftw.

But yeah, this rules. Everyone go get it.

Plutonio
April 4th 2010


474 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Gaza is best in small doses; their latest full-length bored me, but this is great.

Edwin
April 4th 2010


1399 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I quite agree about their latest. I still think it's great, but definitely not as interesting.

TheWayfarerElectric
April 4th 2010


154 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

This band reminds me too much of Robinson to be all that great. But this is by far their best. The abnd also needs to stop ripping off Pig Destroyer. They're not as great as everyone says they are.

Edwin
April 4th 2010


1399 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Fair enough, but you're wrong. Band's great.

This is way more than a 3.

Plutonio
April 5th 2010


474 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Not particularly... I've heard far better grind bands out there than Gaza. And yeah this=a cooler robinson

cvlts
April 5th 2010


9943 Comments


lolololol robinson. are those guys even still around?

salival13
August 7th 2010


275 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Whoever gave this a 2 GTFO

eternium
August 7th 2010


16358 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I've only listened to He Is Never Coming Back.

Essence
August 7th 2010


6739 Comments


i'm confused by someone calling this grind

eternium
August 7th 2010


16358 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

HINCB sounds like a sludgy Coalesce. I shall check out IDCWIGWID.

eternium
August 7th 2010


16358 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Calf just gave me a boner.

eternium
August 7th 2010


16358 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

That's about to start. 1... 2... HOLY SHI-

ffs
September 15th 2010


6327 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

this owns

DeathByAstonishment
August 21st 2012


268 Comments


Gotta check this out now, kickin review man 'pos.

Silent mother fucking potato, I always see you in comments sections of the most obscure shit.



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