In the words of Cream, “It’s getting near dawn”. Here I am on my laptop, reading issue #3 of Barbara Gordon: Breakout from DC Comics by Mariko Tamaki, followed by listening to a Boston-based band with grunge, sludge, and stoner metal running through their veins. That band is Gozu.
Since forming in 2009, Gozu have been a staple of the underground heavy music scene, releasing five studio albums, from their self-titled debut in 2010 to 2023’s Remedy. Now, in the year of our Lord 2026 and on the Metal Blade label, VI may very well be their most invigorating and hard-hitting release yet.
I’m still fairly new to Gozu’s music, but VI proves they’re far more than just another heavy band. This is a group that refuses to back down, throwing punch after punch with unwavering determination while carving out its own identity in the modern doom and sludge landscape.
Listening to VI drops you right into the eye of a raging sandstorm. Sludge-soaked guitar riffs, fuzz-drenched bass lines, galloping thrash-infused passages, and Marc Gaffney’s commanding vocals immediately bring to mind bands such as Electric Wizard, Candlemass, and Cathedral. Yet Gozu never sound like they’re simply copying their influences. Instead, they blend those elements into something uniquely their own, a heavy psychedelic concoction that’s as crushing as it is addictive.
The lineup of guitarist/vocalist Marc Gaffney, bassist Joe Grotto, drummer Seth Botos, and guitarist Doug Sherman sounds completely locked in throughout the album. Every member contributes to the record’s enormous wall of sound, delivering performances that feel both powerful and effortless. It’s the kind of album that begs to be blasted until the crack of dawn.
‘Corvette Summer’ takes aim at the empty promises of fame and the desperate pursuit of attention. Gaffney pours every ounce of emotion into his vocal performance while the crushing guitars and Botos’ thunderous drumming drives the message home. The lyrics serve as a wake-up call, exposing the illusion behind celebrity culture. The glitz, the mansions, the endless headlines, the social media meltdowns, and the constant TMZ attention all come at a price. It’s a reminder that behind the spotlight often lies a far uglier reality.
‘Midnight Express’ evokes the weight of Metallica’s Black Album era but filters it through an occult-tinged version of Stone Temple Pilots. Gaffney howls into the darkness like a wolf surveying the mountaintops while the rhythm section steadily builds the tension, pulling the listener deeper into the band’s swirling, psychedelic atmosphere.
‘Corinthian Leatherface’ erupts with towering riffs and tidal-wave drumming, becoming a revved-up ride down the highway fuelled by proto-thrash energy and towering Black Sabbath-inspired grooves reminiscent of the Sabotage era. Meanwhile, ‘Killer Khan’ practically demands that you dig through your long boxes for issues of Conan the Barbarian, Red Sonja, or stories of Taarna from Heavy Metal magazine, imagining every sword clash and battlefield charge while the band unleashes blistering doom metal straight to the face.
Then comes ‘Banacek’, where Gozu unexpectedly shift into a faster, thrash-driven gear before seamlessly returning to their trademark blend of alternative rock and doom. That momentum eventually gives way to the seven-minute epic ‘They Did Know Karate’, which showcases the band’s ability to stretch their songwriting without sacrificing intensity or atmosphere.
Yes, Black Sabbath’s influence runs deep throughout VI, but Gozu are doing far more than paying tribute to the legends. Alongside echoes of Cathedral, Electric Wizard, and Candlemass, you’ll hear traces of Stone Temple Pilots and Alice in Chains’ golden-era ’90s sound. Those influences never overshadow the band’s identity; instead, they strengthen a style that is unmistakably Gozu.
More than fifteen years into their career, Gozu continue to evolve without abandoning the crushing heaviness that made them stand out in the first place. VI is confident, hook-filled, and packed with riffs that demand repeatable listens. If this is your first experience with the band, there’s no better place to jump in. Crank this one up to 11, let the walls shake, and prepare to wonder why it took you so long to discover Gozu in the first place.
