Music: Gaza: I Don't Care Where I Go When I Die

Our Take

Gaza's debut album is equivalent to having a freight train smash directly into your eardrums. Featuring some of the heaviest and brutal vocals and instrumentals heard in quite awhile, I Don't Care Where I Go When I Die is an incredible achievement. Although some of this album may be too much for some casual metal listeners, avid grindcore and other extreme forms of music will find this to be a treasure from the Metal Blade label.

The production on this album sounds a lot better when compared to Gaza's previous release, the East EP. Whereas the vocals seemed a little muffled on that release, they have been pushed to the forefront this time around. Intense screaming makes up the vocal element of this band, and anyone who tries to imitate is likely to rupture their vocal cords. It is almost unbelievable how far the screaming/growling really goes on this release, as it puts Gaza in the same league as some of the greats (Cannibal Corpse, Napalm Death, Botch).

As expected, the instrumentals are just as brutal as the vocals. IDCWIGWID (how's that for an abbreviation) is a mix between metalcore, death metal, and even experimental doom and sludge at times. If one thing is certain, it would be that all of these influences have created an album that is heavy and raw. Also, most of Gaza's songs are longer than your average grindcore/noise song, sometimes clocking in at around 4 or 5 minutes. There are a few times throughout the course of this album that things drag a little bit, but in general listeners will thoroughly enjoy the brutality contained within.

Think you're a fan of extremely heavy noise/metal groups? Listening to Gaza in addition to other bands is certainly a way to prove it. Although Gaza's music fits into a niche that not a lot of the market is going to be able to appreciate, those that do will find it to be one of the best extreme music releases in recent memory. And despite some repetitive spots, this is definitely one to check out. But know what you're getting yourself into, because this album is neither melodic nor easy to appreciate without previous genre experience.

http://www.metalblade.com

Chris Dahlberg
January 21, 2007