Gospel - The Loser
DISCLAIMER: I was provided with an advance copy of this album in order to write about it.
Gospel are a legendary band in screamo circles. They need no introduction, but I'll provide one anyway.
Their first album, The Moon is a Dead World, was released in 2005 on Level Plane Records and has become a cult classic in the genre over the years. The unique blend of progressive rock, post-hardcore, and screamo they offered was received well by critics at the time, but it's grown to become recognized by some fans as a pillar of the genre. This album, The Loser, is their followup on Dog Knights after 17 long years of waiting. Was the wait worth it? Put simply, yes.
This album is a worthy successor to The Moon is a Dead World, while also setting itself apart in a few key areas. First and foremost, this album is even more prog-influenced to my ears. The keyboards found on Moon are back with a vengeance, becoming one of the core focal points of the album. The synths, organs, and mellotrons here provide a complex, nuanced, and emotional sound to The Loser. I would say they're at least a bit more prominent on The Loser than they were on Moon.
The heavier prog influence may not be for everyone, but it's definitely for me. I had a huge prog phase five or six years ago, and to a certain extent it still influences my music taste. With The Loser, I feel right at home with the driving Hammond organ sound and the occasional electric piano. I wager that anyone who liked Moon would most likely enjoy the heavier prog influence on this album anyway. That album had no shortage of synths and complex songwriting either (look at Golden Dawn for an example).
Another thing about this album that's changed a bit is the sound is less aggressive and more mature. The primal screams from Moon are replaced by more nuanced and slightly more restrained vocals. But despite aging, Gospel is still wildly energetic and full of life in a way very few bands can match. They just have a more developed sound to them, more refined, less raw. I find this works well enough, though it certainly isn't going to obsolete Moon. The two albums both have their own unique merits, and should be judged as such.
So then, what are this albums merits? What does it offer when viewed independently of what is arguably one of the hardest acts to follow in the genre? Personally, I think the songwriting is wonderful, it's dark and moody, while being energetic and having some unbelievable climaxes in some of the songs. The track "Hhyper," for example, has a section near the end that chugs along with the speed of a bullet train. It's dizzying in the best way possible.
But Gospel knows when to restrain themselves as well. The opening of "Metallic Olives" is perhaps the albums most emotionally charged moment on this album, and it's played slow and dramatic. It works beautifully. This track in particular builds to a climax only rivalled by my other favorite Gospel song, "Golden Dawn."
Another thing worth mentioning with this album is that the drumming is still impeccable. Vinny Roseboom is still one of the best drummers in screamo, post-hardcore, progressive rock, or any other genre under the sun. Generally speaking, the musicianship is impeccable here, but the drumming stands out with the keyboards as being the highlights of the album.
If I were to nitpick, I'd suggest the production job could maybe be a bit better. I think the vocals are slightly too low in the mix, making it hard to discern the lyrics. It still sounds fine though, it's hardly a major drawback.
I think this album is paced perfectly, and is more consistent than Moon. To me, Moon suffered a bit from having two of the best screamo tracks ever in the first half, and while the rest of the album is amazing, nothing can compete with the opener or "Golden Dawn." This album is a more mature, more consistent effort. Gospel has aged like a fine wine, maybe a bit less harsh than they were at first, but overall smoother and more nuanced. And just like wine, it'll fuck you up.
Recommended for fans of: Progressive Rock with a harder edge, Screamo, Post-Hardcore, Punk, or just music listeners in general. This is an essential 2022 release.
P.S. Thank you all so much for 10,000 views on this blog. I never thought I'd get anywhere near that many, and I apologize for the lengthy hiatus. I'll be back with more content this summer, I've just been ridiculously busy the past year or so since I've been working on a journalism degree. I'd like to make music journalism my career, and I hope to hone my craft on this blog. So thank you all for reading (and thanks to Gospel for providing me this opportunity!)