GOLGOTHA
Spreading The Wings Of Hope

If you love a bit of melancholy in your life (and let’s face it who doesn’t like a good old cry from time to time) the new album from GOLGOTHA “Spreading The Wings Of Hope” should suitably satisfy your wanton desire for woe. Spanish purveyors of desolation and doom GOLGOTHA have a long history of delivering glum and gloom stretching right back to the early 90’s, with their latest composition “Spreading The Wings Of Hope” not only delivering a sombre message for our time, but also fully enshrining their place as one of the leaders in this particular genre.

Far from an easy first listen, “Spreading The Wings Of Hope” is well worthy of spending a bit of time on so that you get a good insight into GOLGOTHA’s particular musical style and craftsmanship. This way you will really get to appreciate how the opposing dual vocals perfectly complement each other whilst also blending in superbly with the often bold and heavy riffs that occasionally breakdown into beautiful frail and fragile melodies.

With two singles already released from the album, the deeply sad and tearful “Gilded Cage” and the hard ‘n’ heavy all-consuming “Human Vultures”, “Spreading The Wings Of Hope” has already been getting some much warranted attention from the doom metal fraternity.

Particular highlights for me are the darkly atmospheric and gothic opening track “For Every Tear” which itself totally redefines the meaning of desperation and despair, along with closing track “Hope As Guide” with its subtle piano playing and sublime guitar solo helping make these the perfectly carved out showcase bookends for the entire album.

More guttural songs like title track “Spreading The Wings Of Hope” and “A Solitary Soul” are both heavy riffing, haunting and primeval as well as being tearjerkingly good with the latter having an absolutely divine and to die for weeping guitar solo to tug on your broken heart strings.

“Hear Their Cries” emphasises GOLGOTHA’s ability to hasten the pace with quicker sections flowing seamlessly into the slower passages, whilst “Closed Heart” has more of a solid death metal tune feel to it. Both solid tracks in an all-killer album.

“Spreading The Wings Of Hope” is simply one of those albums that will grow in your adoration. The more times you listen to it hence the more you put into it, the more you will get out of it! Sorrowful and sad from start to finish, GOLGOTHA have delivered something very special here if you allow “Spreading The Wings Of Hope” time to fully develop by planting the seed in your brain and letting it flourish. Recommended!

Mark Waight