The project Gonetcha – launched in Lyon, France, by a bass player – embodies the franticness and creativity that I want from music: it is loud, grindy, precise, and I love it. The musicianship is unparalleled, a gateway through which Gonetcha can showcase its intricate and unique songwriting ability, its unmatched breed of bombast and energy. Alternative or Indie rock? Gonetcha is genre-defining, spawning a number of diverse recordings over the last few years. The newest EP, “COBAYES DE L’ESPOIR” feels aspirational and ambitious.
From the start, on “We Remember”, a multiple number of guitar lines, syncopated rhythms, angular vocals and pulsating basslines, needle into your mind. It’s the kind of fast-paced, fantastic chaos that you’ll hardly find anymore. It takes a very special kind of talent to really control and sculpt this seeming frenzy into a listenable recording.
A reinvigorated and revitalized dynamism rings true throughout this EP and practically burns with passion. It’s evident in the sprawling, intensely jarring instrumental excursions of “Cyclical Psycho” – the frantic, screaming lead guitar lines that spatter themselves across the perpendicular drumming; and it’s most evident in the deep guttural tones of the lead vocals.
The above-mentioned elements are littered throughout the record and inject an urgent human honesty into proceedings. Playing the music they do, all of the rules indicate that Gonetcha should not be able to make a melodic, accessible record. Right? Wrong! Gonetcha seem to thrive on the notion of breaking rules. “Certain Silence” proves my point.
The instrumental work here is as breathtaking as it is on the other tracks, intense guitar motifs, technically sophisticated, supported by well laid bass lines and the beat by the rhythm section. Still, this one is different. “Under influence of others. There’s no way to express us. No way to get closer to whatever is inside you,” sings Gonetcha. The melodic vocals sitting somewhere between a chant and an anthem.
“Expiration” showcases the drum and guitar interchanges, while the vocals squeeze in-between the two. The balance between the guitar wizardry and dynamic riffing is perfect. Refreshing to hear, it makes for an exhilarating listen. You might not get it on first listen but give it time and this will be your go-to track. Gonetcha have pulled this straight from the top drawer.
You won’t find a weak track within “COBAYES DE L’ESPOIR”, from the opening to the wonderfully sweeping closer “Thought Industry”. There’s curve balls thrown in throughout; from the crunchy style guitars, to the hardcore throbbing basslines and the scatterbrain drums. You’d be a fool for trying to predict where the track is going to go next, but you can be pretty sure it’s going to be superb.
Gonetcha’s “COBAYES DE L’ESPOIR” is that rare eruption of ferocious creativity and energy that makes the listener’s brain explode with its awesomeness. If you’ve enjoyed what Gonetcha have done so far, then you’ll love this. If it’s your first time with the Frenchman, then it is as good a place as any to start.
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