3/24/08
GOADED – TO DIE IS GAIN
(2008 Spooky G Label)
I have been listening to Tracy G. in one form or another for well over 18 years now. I have always thought that his approach to music has been cutting edge and, more importantly, original and diverse (case in point; check out his flamenco CD, "Grijalva"). The new Goaded CD, " To Die Is Gain", is no exception.
Upon hearing the first track, "Numb (No Highs No Lows)", I envision this intense number playing as an M-1 Abrahams tank is rolling into battle in the desert somewhere. One can feel the heat and the sweat dripping down your neck, and you can even smell the gunpowder as "Numb" pumps you up for war. It is a song to go to war to. Although I am partial to Tracy and his trademark bulldozer sound, the rest of Goaded does a pretty fine job of holding their own. The vocalist, Jason White, has a wide range of abilities ranging from guttural to Layne Staley type wails on "Trapped Alive", which fit the music well. Bones is no slouch either. Hey, I think if you look at the credits at the end of the Tonight Show, you will see his name. And Ray? Well, his timing matches Tracy’s playing perfectly, which is no easy feat. "The End of Lies" is reminiscent of WWIII era riffs, but has more depth. The most diverse track on the CD has got to be "Those You Use". It begins with a beautiful melody and then breaks into a death like rap. Finally, it ends with a traditional Tracy G. riff. And it all seems to fit together very well. The final track, "Broken Man", may be a preview of thing to come from Tracy & Goaded. The effects Tracy gets on the guitar are just mind blowing. He seems to take any sound or noise and make it into something rhythmic.
In conclusion, "To Die Is Gain" is an example of where metal may be heading in the future; it is powerful and brutal yet melodic and deep. Perhaps that is why the band is named Goaded. To "goad" someone is to intimidate them and basically scare the shit out of them. This CD will do just that to the listener.
Five out of five Sledgehammers!!
Manuel Hernandez Alzaga
Principal / Author / Metal Fan
Goaded - To Die is Gain
Posted in CD Reviews on 3/5/08
Anticipating a new release can be a frustrating thing. You want it so bad that it eats you up inside. I don’t get this feeling as much as I used to, but when I heard that Tracy G and Goaded had just completed their new CD, I just started jonesing. It didn’t help that Mr. G had teased us with a few tracks before its release as well. Long story short, I stood out by the mailbox for days anticipating its arrival. Once I received it, I was blown away by the cover: A dude getting wood stakes rammed through his head - now that’s metal! At this point, I instantly run inside to put this puppy in the CD player.
To Die is Gain is a dark record, bringing back memories of some of the "better" moments of the Grunge movement (hey, it had some). Don’t get me wrong this is a metal record, but its moody, dark sound is reminiscent of early Alice In Chains or even Soundgarden. Tracy has tuned down his guitar and gone for a more somber sound mixed with some extreme crunch - very reminiscent of the sound he had on Dio’s Strange Highways. Solo-wise, Tracy sounds better than ever, exhibiting the ferocity he had in Dio mixed with the more melodic side he displayed in WWIII. To solidify the Goaded sound, Tracy brought in his partner-in-crime, Larry Dennison, on bass and Ray Luzier (Korn) on drums. Together these guys are a wrecking machine. The overall sound of the record is purely and simply HEAVY.
To Die is Gain marks the debut of vocalist Jason Witte whose aggressive vocals add to the balls and chunk of the record, showing his ability to bring it down when he needs to on the ballad, Your Strength. I think he sounds exceptionally well when doing vocal harmonies or singing in higher registers. The great thing about this guy is that he is not one dimensional. I can best describe his vocal style as a cross between Sully (Godsmack) and Phil Anselmo (Pantera) while still maintaining his own originality.
In reviewing this CD I wanted to be as unbiased as I could. I have listened to it repeatedly and it honestly gets better with each listen. It’s got a dark sound, but it still remains melodic and catchy. To Die is Gain is a solid record from start to finish and I highly recommend you go get it.
Bottom Line: To Die is Gain is probably the quintessential Tracy G record.
Standout Tracks: Bury Me, Broken Man, Your Strength, As You Bleed and In Greed You Trust
- Ragman wants to congratulate Goaded on a killer CD. Horns Up!
2/14/08
Driving guitar riffs loaded with enough metal Viagra to keep you hard for eternity, courtesy of guitar juggernaut Tracy G. (DIO/WWIII), real rock drums and heavy end bass that make the ground shake, served up thick and nasty by Ray Luzier (Army Of Anyone/Korn) and Larry "Bones" Dennison (Dio). Add that to the rambunctious growling vocals from Jason Witte, and what you get is full out metallic chaos! GOADED will chase the staleness of new rock away. Pulling inspiration from the likes of Metallica and Sabbath placing their own wicked twist on it, this band downright rocks in a unique yet familiar tone that any metal-maniac will enthusiastically bang their head to. It’s impossible for any true metal head not to get excited with this band. Rage filled music that actually has something worth saying. If you’re a fan of emo whining bands, then look elsewhere because this might just be too hard for your sensitive ears to handle. - The Atomic Chaser, THE DRP/All Access Magazine