Despite their name, there is little to Gholas' sound that suggests "sci-fi" or "spacey." This New Jersey quartet specializes in a down-tuned post-metal that's informed by the economy of hardcore punk and sound as brutal and lean as you'd imagine. There's little time for Gholas to think about atmospherics when they're more concerned with being absolutely devastating.
Though this is only their sophomore record, Gholas are remarkably good at writing songs that are direct, driving and rhythmically complex. "The Worm" finds the group writhing as one, with each instrument sounding distinct but interlocking neatly with the rest. With Litanies, Gholas don't make a very strong case as to why the marriage of Frank Herbert's ideas and post-metal sonics is one worth exploring, but they don't really need to. The record's concept and ties to its source material might be murky, but the resulting sounds don't suffer because of it.
(Dullest)Though this is only their sophomore record, Gholas are remarkably good at writing songs that are direct, driving and rhythmically complex. "The Worm" finds the group writhing as one, with each instrument sounding distinct but interlocking neatly with the rest. With Litanies, Gholas don't make a very strong case as to why the marriage of Frank Herbert's ideas and post-metal sonics is one worth exploring, but they don't really need to. The record's concept and ties to its source material might be murky, but the resulting sounds don't suffer because of it.
