Goodbye to Gravity
Mantras of War


4.0
excellent

Review

by DatsNotDaMetulz USER (63 Reviews)
November 13th, 2015 | 34 replies


Release Date: 2015 | Tracklist

Review Summary: A talent lost way too soon

Those following the tragic events currently unfolding in the aftermath of the Club Colectiv blaze of October 30 will already be familiar with Goodbye to Gravity, albeit for the wrong reasons. The quintet, fronted by former Megastar winner Andrei Găluț and consisting of a menagerie of musicians from the local scene (guitarists Vlad Țelea and Mihai Alexandru, bassist Alex Pascu and drummer Bogdan Enache), are unfortunately no more, with all members except Andrei having passed away as a result of the fire. As such, it’s difficult to be impartial when reviewing what was set to be their breakout album, and major label debut on Universal Music’s Romanian imprint, but it’s important to try.

While their self-titled didn’t really inspire much, this album gets off to a flying start. The guitarists of Mihai and Vlad are in fine form, with aggressive riffs combined with soaring melodic leads, and Alex’s bass playing is miles ahead of the vast majority of metalcore bassists in the scene today (just listen to “Shadow Puppets” as an example). Andrei’s vocal performance doesn’t give the slightest impression that he was once a talent show product, instead, he barks his way through the tracks and provides a much rougher clean vocal performance than other metalcore vocalists, for example, Rise to Remain’s Austin Dickinson. The backgrounds of the other musicians, though, do shine through.

Coming from such acts as power metal group Thunderstorm, gothic metal’s Graven and melodeath band Rising Shadow, there are some clear signs of their old work in this. The lead guitar work is very much influenced by the likes of Iron Maiden (a driving force in what would eventually become power metal) while the calmer melodies could easily transition into a more gothic atmosphere. However, they stay true to the core (no pun intended) metalcore sound and manage to mesh the collective influences together perfectly to create something which is both refreshing, yet not taking risks to sound too different to the norm. Songs such as “The Day We Die”, “What If” and “Heed the Call” have some of the best and most addictive hooks of the year, even if being unfortunately prophetic at times.

As good as the overall album is, there are still flaws with it. It doesn’t quite feel as if the musicians were showing their full potential on this album – with all of them already being well into their 30s (Bogdan was already 41), you know that these guys have spent years honing their crafts and they could show more of it here without being a detriment to the overall songwriting, and yet they seemed to be holding back. The guitar tone feels a little inconsistent at times too, with the chuggier moments feeling a lot messier in terms of tone and production than the cleaner sound of the main riffs.

Of course, the biggest negative of all is the fact that Goodbye to Gravity will never be able to build on what this album showed that they could do. Signing to such a label as Universal would have opened up so many opportunities for them, but with all members save for Andrei having had their lives cut short (Andrei still remains in a critical condition as of writing this), that is a potential that will never be fulfilled. And in the current metalcore scene, a band such as this was desperately needed. A huge loss, but their music will never be forgotten. RIP.



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user ratings (21)
3.6
great
other reviews of this album
Superreallycool (4)
...



Comments:Add a Comment 
DatsNotDaMetulz
November 13th 2015


4421 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Not my best review but I thought this deserved one.

Mort.
November 13th 2015


26170 Comments


yeah fair enough, posd

i really like the cover art

DatsNotDaMetulz
November 13th 2015


4421 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Same, I dig the sci-fi stuff on it.

Mort.
November 13th 2015


26170 Comments


i checked them out when the news first broke, might give them another listen soon

wasnt too impressed tho tbh

DatsNotDaMetulz
November 13th 2015


4421 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I didn't think too much of them at first (kinda went off metalcore in 2012) but I bought the album out of respect anyway. A few days later and it's really clicked with me.

Essence
November 13th 2015


6740 Comments


good review brah, i might check. i hope andrei pulls through

EvoHavok
November 13th 2015


8090 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Nice of you for doing this!

SharkTooth
November 13th 2015


14937 Comments


damn now only member of the band left, this is just really sad.

Thealwaysopenedmind
November 13th 2015


714 Comments


^It really is. I just found that he was the only one left. I don't even really listen to this band, but this is terrible. I want to know why Enache and Pascu were being transported to different hospitals. They both died while that was happening.

DatsNotDaMetulz
November 13th 2015


4421 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Huh didn't realise this got featured. Thanks whoever decided that.

Totengott
November 13th 2015


4252 Comments


Going to listen to this album, such an awful loss :/, so sad.

Spacesh1p
November 13th 2015


7716 Comments


Nice show of respect, both review and feature.

EvoHavok
November 13th 2015


8090 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

" I want to know why Enache and Pascu were being transported to different hospitals."

Conditions at local hospitals weren't good enough for their proper treatment.

NewBallistics
November 13th 2015


930 Comments


So sad what happened to these guys. Lovely review bud, pos'd

Superreallycool
November 13th 2015


134 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Honestly I feel so bad for the band and the other 48 lives lost. I don't understand what people find so hard about "don't bring fire into buildings". Why couldn't we all learn from the Great White tragedy? Regardless, my heart goes out to the families of those lost



On a more positive note, the band's music is awesome. Great review

EvoHavok
November 13th 2015


8090 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

It's up to 55 total now ;(.

SharkTooth
November 13th 2015


14937 Comments


so awful

tacos n stuff
November 13th 2015


3181 Comments


oh my god, wiki says 156 injured ON TOP of the 55 dead. That's just horrible....

SharkTooth
November 13th 2015


14937 Comments


I know

DatsNotDaMetulz
November 13th 2015


4421 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

The world is a very dark place right now.



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