‘Demonizer’ is the latest single from Bay Area heavy metal trio HANDS OF GORO, formed by members of Spirit Adrift, Nite, Slough Feg, and former live members of Carcass and Angel Witch. The song is now streaming exclusively at No Clean Singing, preceding the band’s eponymous debut LP, nearing release March 1st
Stream HANDS OF GORO’s ‘Demonizer’
HANDS OF GORO formed in November 2016 with the shared desire to strike fear of the infamous half-man/half-dragon into the heart of humanity. Hailing from opposite sides of the pond, founding guitarist Tom Draper (Spirit Adrift, ex-Carcass and Angel Witch-live) and bassist Adrian Maestas (Slough Feg) conspired to form a band that would spearhead a sound known as the Third Wave Of British Heavy Metal (TWOBHM). In 2020, the two recruited drummer Avinash Mittur (Nite, Wretched Stench), completing the current lineup.
The eight songs on Hands Of Goro thunder with elements of anthemic, epic, traditional heavy metal with torrents of harmonized savagery and brief ventures into the likes of punk, classic rock, and more. The album was recorded and produced by HANDS OF GORO, captured at The Boatyard and Francisco Studios. The drums and guitars were recorded in two secret rooms located on a dilapidated former naval base, and the vocals, bass and synthesizers tracked in an underground space right off the dirty streets of San Francisco’s Tenderloin district. Mixing and engineering was handled by the band’s Avinash Mittur, the tracks were mastered by Justin Weis at Trakworx Studio, and the album was completed with artwork by Christie Crapeticio and photography by Jehn.w.a. and Raymond Ahner.
Draper calls the “Demonizer” single, “Fast, frantic and punky with an obligatory shred-fest halfway through.”
Mittur reveals, “This is one of the older tunes in ‘GORO’s repertoire and I did my best to stay faithful to the scrappy feel of the original while adding my own speed metal flair to it. ‘Demonizer’ is relentless and a Hell of a workout for my poor feet!”
Maestas adds, “A young man betrays those closest to him and becomes a willful servant to Goro, fulfilling a prophecy that began when he was young, when a years-long spell was cast upon him rendering his soul vulnerable for easy consumption.”
With the song’s premiere, No Clean Singing writes in part, “…’Demonizer’ is a speed demon of a song, well-calculated to get hearts pounding and blood rushing. Propelled by vibrantly galloping drums with a punk flair and a feverishly throbbing bass, it delivers riotous riffing that blares and sizzles, slashes, and squirms, creating an experience of evil delirium that’s both grand and unhinged.”
Hands Of Goro will see release March 1st on the band’s own BSP Records digitally and on vinyl. Find preorders where ‘Archduke Of Fear’ and ‘Uncanny’ are streaming HERE
Having demonstrated their craft live supporting the likes of Slough Feg, Raven, Charger, and others over the past year or so, HANDS OF GORO is plotting new live excursions in support of the album including a hometown record release show on February 24th with fellow Bay Area shredders Dekapitator – their first Oakland show in fourteen years – and Molten.
HANDS OF GORO Online:
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