Goes Cube - Beckon the Dagger God

File this under rhetorical, I suppose, but don't you guys ever get sick of reading about the same old bullshit day after day, week after week? I don't mean here, because here you are (again), I mean elsewhere. Things like "Hot new DJ X mashed up freak folk artist Y with slick indie hip hop group Z and he called it 'XYZ'! Woo! I love it even more than yesterday's new hotness!" Can you tell that we're entering that typical mid to late decade rut (populated by bands like Winger and Extreme in the '80s, Marcy Playground and Everclear in the '90s) where everything starts to sound derivatively similar? Doesn't it seem as though someone shaved the hair off of indie-rock's collective chest?

On the second day of 2007 Goes Cube drew a line in the sand. On that day the Brooklyn trio (Kenny Appell on drums, Matthew Frey on bass, David Obuchowski on guitar and vocals) released their eardrum crunchingly perfect EP Beckon the Dagger God, and with it revived hope that angst delivered via punishing guitars is an art form that will never disappear. Where have you gone Hüsker Dü, Nirvana, and Fugazi?

Beckon the Dagger God, featuring cover art done by Nick Brown and production by Dean Baltulonis (of Foreign Islands), is a nearly flawless 28 minutes of white knuckled shredding. From the moment the first song ("Goes Cube Song 30") begins you're left with no choice but to give in to the whirlwind tornado power of Goes Cube. The song writing, effort, and production on this one song are so carefully pushed right to the edge I'd almost be content if it were all this band ever released. Almost. Thankfully the power of the Dagger God's undertow calls for you to ride the understated melody of "Goes Cube Song 35" until the band is back in full-on Army boot stomp mode. It's a metal infused twist on grunge's tried and true loud/quiet/loud formula that Goes Cube manages to make sound entirely their own and it's a collection of songs I simply can not stop listening to.

There's not a misstep on the entire record. The emotive screaming of "Goes Cube Song 37" almost gives me chills everytime I hear it. The changes in "Goes Cube Song 34" provide aural rest stops until, around the 4:32 mark, the band hammers the pedal to the floor. From this point the record becomes a three song suite with elements of math rock tossed into the already potent metal/thrash/grunge/rock mix. Not since I first heard Tool have I be so interested in the music I was hearing as it actively damaged my ears. If I were to offer one simple complaint it'd be that this isn't a twelve song album of Goes Cube goodness.

Beckon the Dagger God is loud, fearless, angry, and happy to destroy anything in its path. Just exactly what you wish you were, which is why I suggest you pick up a copy to listen to as you drive/walk/ride around each day in hushed frustration. Call out to the Dagger God to give you the power of a thousand bands. Beckon the Dagger God to give you the power of Goes Cube.

Listen:
"Goes Cube Song 37"

Buy Beckon the Dagger God HERE.

Visit Goes Cube on MySpace.

***Final Fantasy and Beirut listeners beware - there's more to life than books and when you're ready to leave the safety of your bedroom I dare you...I DARE you to see a Goes Cube show***

Goes Cube Live:
20 January @ Mercury Lounge
15 February @ Southpaw
2 March @ Pianos