Good Tiger
Raised in a Doomsday Cult


4.0
excellent

Review

by Tequila Mockingbird : Drunk Author USER (17 Reviews)
August 18th, 2020 | 124 replies


Release Date: 2020 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Elliot Coleman and company finally catch the tiger by its toe.

Good Tiger, entering their third album, had a lot to prove. Founded by former members of TesseracT and The Safety Fire already garnered the band some hype from the get go. While the band claimed it was still progressive metal it was more akin to swancore, but don’t get your panties in a twist, Good Tiger have no screamer who sings random jargon or over-the-top noodly riffs. No, they are more adjacent to Hail The Sun, Icarus The Owl, Stolas, and A Lot Like Birds who take inspiration more from Circa Survive than The Fall of Troy. A Head Full of Moonlight was a sonic smorgasbord that was as sultry and seductive as it was loud and harmonic. It was fresh and unique, however its results varied wildly. There were three or four amazingly written songs, but the subsequent tracklist was more or less trying to emulate said three or four amazing songs. As a result it felt like a debut record in the best and worst ways possible. Their second record, We Will All Be Gone, unfortunately suffered the same problems, but the highlights didn’t extend into the stratosphere to the extent that its predecessor accomplished. A true sophomore slump. It was immensely disappointing because the band had shown so much potential, yet so much was untapped. With the ever so important third album approaching, and a change of drummers from Alex Rudinger to JP Bouvet, would Good Tiger finally be able to pull together a cohesive and thoroughly excellent project?

Raised in a Doomsday Cult is Good Tiger’s most refined, sweeping, and well-composed album by a significant margin. In essence, Good Tiger play to their strengths while creating a diverse tracklist. Lead singer Elloit Coleman’s voice attains a sultry, soothing, and charismatic tone with the ability to absolutely soar if necessary. No matter where the instrumentation takes the songs Coleman’s voice always seems to suit the soundscape. The guitar work is harmonic, lush, full, and warm whilst maintaining the ability to unleash fret-blistering riffs when the time calls for it. However, the standout musician is JP Bouvet with perhaps the best drumming performance of 2020. His beats are groovy, angular, and perfectly saucy while his fills are tight, technical, and sixteenth note driven. Bouvet’s flow on the kit leads to positively exquisite performance.

The performances are just as great as the songs themselves. “Ghost Vomit” and “Animal Mother” are fast, heavy, riff driven affairs with massive choruses, and “1252” and “Redshift” are more luscious, richer, slower cuts that provide an excellent blanket for Coleman’s vocals to sooth the listener. In addition, there are wonderful exercises in songwriting like the dainty verse and bouncy chorus of “Young Speak”, and the slow burner, “Sunthrower Flower”, that leads into a powerful bridge/outro. Almost every song instills an ear worm of a chorus with the guitars and bass amplifying just the right amount in the mix to let the full sound of the band wash over the listeners. The ebb and flow of Raised in a Doomsday Cult track to track, intro to outro, is truly something to behold. I would be remiss to mention that the latter third of the album is a tad underwhelming in comparison. “GoGo Yubari” and “Smile.Growth.Accept” are merely solid tracks. The closer “If You Weren’t My Son I’d Hug You”, as the name implies, contains heartfelt lyrics and shockingly outsources the chorus to another member other than Elliot. However, the song should have ended on the massive bridge at around the four and a half minute mark instead of winding down for an excessive minute and a half.

Good Tiger successfully achieved their potential that was always evident on their previous releases with Raised in a Doomsday Cult. They cemented themselves, finally, as a band in alternative music with an idiosyncratic sound, a charismatic lead vocalist, rock solid instrumentation, and all the upside in the world.



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user ratings (136)
3.7
great


Comments:Add a Comment 
Joeman82
August 18th 2020


1449 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

Not gonna lie I was kinda sick of seeing this at number 4 on trending without a review. Even though Claire will probably cover this in the near future...

OwMySnauze
August 18th 2020


2544 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Glad to see good buddy Elliot getting the recognition he deserves after all the past bands/projects he’s been involved with.

SteakByrnes
August 18th 2020


30382 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

"...with massive choruses, and “1512” and “Redshift” " should be "1252", other than that sweet review. I'm really liking this album. Love the Vitas meme song "ah ah ahs" in Kimbal lmao



My favorite tracks are Kimbal, 1252, and Redshift for sure

Joeman82
August 18th 2020


1449 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

Knew I’d fuck up the numbers lmao



My fav rn is probably Young Speak

LettuceInAmbers
August 18th 2020


11 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Nice review. Morgan Sinclair is their bassists, though. I think drums have been performed by JP Bouvet, not sure how much of a creative input he had on it (see credits on Bandcamp page for this album)

Get Low
August 18th 2020


14553 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

Never cared for this band but I think this is decent upon first listen. It's either going to grow on me or I'm going to hate it the next time I listen to it.

kalkwiese
August 18th 2020


10615 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

I really enjoy this one a lot

clavier
Emeritus
August 18th 2020


1206 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0 | Sound Off

tbh i don't have enough to say about this album to make a full review, it's very ok for me but i still prefer the debut for its energy

OwMySnauze
August 18th 2020


2544 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Agreed. Their debut had awesome screams and energy. Wish they’d bring the harshes back and album closers like Pontiac Firebird

Dewinged
Staff Reviewer
August 18th 2020


32179 Comments


Have the same problem with this one than with the last one. His voice ends up annoying me after a few songs, but it's ok in small doses.

Good rev though Joeman.

Vulnicura
August 18th 2020


44 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Nice review & album cover

Joeman82
August 18th 2020


1449 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

To be fair I still think that Where Are the Birds is my fav song I just think this album is overall better. It’s in that 3.7-3.8 range but I’m a nice guy so I always round up in those cases.

Joeman82
August 18th 2020


1449 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

“(see credits on Bandcamp page for this album)”



I looked everywhere for the credits and was so confused as to who the new drummer was. Of course I didn’t check the bandcamp cuz I don’t use it. Big joe L. Edited.

kalkwiese
August 18th 2020


10615 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

Posed. One can tell you taught the Great Bigglestein

Project
August 18th 2020


5901 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

pretty much exactly agree with this review, it's remarkable and then it loses steam toward the end. But the first three quarters are amazing

Feather
August 18th 2020


10534 Comments


ooooo excited to check this out now

SteakByrnes
August 18th 2020


30382 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Hearing those faint harsh vocals towards the end of the last track really makes me want more

StickFeit
August 18th 2020


2313 Comments


Track 3 is up there with their best tracks

SitarHero
August 18th 2020


14792 Comments


Good review. The last album took a while to grow on me so I'm reserving judgement, but right now the only standout tracks for me are Kimbal and Redshift

9Hammer
August 18th 2020


488 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

Kimbal's honestly starting to grow on me as of late. Nice review!



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