Review Summary: Face-kicking aficionados rejoice.
Sometimes, the spice of life is simple stuff. F*ck a thousand-dollar bottle of wine; give me that $3.99 that hits
just right, plays out well at parties, and possesses not a whiff of pretentiousness. It comes as it is, no more and no less, and in all honesty, it’s probably better than or as good as that fancy-ass bottle lest we forget the Judgement of Paris. Welcome Geld: a modest quartet of Aussie dudes intent on kicking in faces and tearing the nearest stage apart--that’s all that needs to be said. To do so, they employ a potent mix of hardcore, punk, a touch of grind, disparate psych influences (roll with it), ample distortion, and enough anthemic energy to dismantle a city block down to its foundations. It’s all barely contained in a volatile 22-minute capsule that, true to its influences, sparingly pauses for rest throughout its rampaging tracklist. If that sounds like a textbook carefree rager,
perfect, proceed to third record
Currency // Castration, leave intrusive thoughts behind, and indulge in the thrills.
Despite its brevity, Geld cover substantial ground throughout the album’s fleeting duration, ranging from the unadulterated hardcore punk shredding of “Chained to a Gate” to the chaotic soloing that consumes “The Fix is In”. Tunes such as “Clock Keeps Crawling” follow in the vein of fellow countrymen Extortion, using groovy bass riffing as a launchpad into a twangy, dissonant riff that brings ample adrenaline to proceedings, then tops it all off with a delightfully shout-able refrain. Aforementioned “Chained to a Gate” accelerates at random to concoct an intense whirlwind of instrumentation, only to smash into a wall in an imposing breakdown, “Fog of War” brings further bass groovin’ in the form of a mean midtempo rocker, “Success” wildly thrashes about until dissolving into caustic noise--the list goes on. A fine balance is in place; for every zany outburst, there’s one like “Secret Prison” that cares for aggression, rage, and infectious energy above any other concerns, or a “Gas of Corruption” that looks to bludgeon with pure brute force. When shot out at high speeds.
Currency // Castration becomes a mesmerizing blur of shifting styles, maintaining consistency while dabbling in different methods.
The ‘psych’ element in play is generally a light flavoring as opposed to a feature, with its presence regularly embodied by hazy riffs that spiral in the background, or the occasional reverb-laden passage that interrupts the bedlam. It’s a minor addition, certainly, but one that does offer a special character to Geld’s material, making their music deceptively layered in its presentation. There’s more to appreciate then beyond the simple pleasure of face-kicking, but for those interested solely in the beautifully straightforward art of face-kicking, the Melbourne lads are well-suited for the task, armed to the teeth with venomous vocals, dynamic riffs and spellbinding drum fills.
Currency // Castration starts and ends in what seems an instant, but its liveliness and plentiful hooks make for an addicting listening experience. It’s a marvelous thrill ride--perhaps not the fanciest thrill ride, but those jagged edges and that crushing songwriting hit
just right, and really, that’s what counts.
