Following an impressive debut album is never an easy undertaking, and Gaza did deliver an impressive debut with I Don't Care Where I Go When I Die. So with that in mind we find their sophomore effort from the four-piece hailing from Utah in the United States. He is Never Coming Back is a definite product of the environment from which Gaza bases themselves; the subtle religious oppression found in their home base gives the band a focus which to hurl their vitriol and ire. My question hovers around whether or not this album is anywhere near as vicious as its predecessor because I certainly hope that it is.
Incorporating some nasty discordance along with more measured tempos at times, Gaza seem to have pushed their sound to another level all without sacrificing one whit of the viciousness that the band is becoming known for in their work. He is Never Coming Back seems to breath and ebb and flow in ways that its predecessor never did, and the evidence for such may be heard immediately in "This is How it's Going to Be" with its noisy guitars and crunching rhythms that lay a perfect soundtrack to the downright malevolent sound of the vocals. The addition of instrumental interludes (check "The Biologist" and "The Anthropologist") to the Gaza oeuvre lends a nice touch and breaks up the incessant barrage that their songs pummel listeners without sacrificing the cohesive integrity of He is Never Coming Back, but rather these pieces seem to add that little something extra to the album. The vocal wall of sound that can be heard in "Canine Disposal Unit" is an effective emotional affectation that emits a very real sense of power to the section of the song where it is used while the frantic drumming in parts of the "The Meat of a Leg Joint" can be dizzying at times. "Bishop" might be my favorite track on the album mostly due to the grating noisy nature of the music and the powerful vocal performance; it is short, sweet, and to the point.
He is Never Coming Back is a definite step forward for Gaza and should push them more out into the forum of metal for people to take notice as it is quite the musical achievement. The thick production, for the most part (sometimes the mix can be a bit muddy sounding while the vocals are crisp and clear) enhances the musical pummeling with which the band seemingly love to punish people. Definitely an excellent release, He is Never Coming Back is worth the time of anyone more into the noisier side of heavy music.
