God Forbid – Equilibrium

Label: Victory Records

Release Date: March 26, 2012

Rating: 9/10

Reviewed by: ToddStar

This is probably the hardest CD review I have ever done. How do you honestly critique songs written and performed by friends of yours? How do you openly discuss a CD in which you are mentioned in the liner notes… TWICE (BIG thanks to the guys and especially Beaker)? Luckily these “Metal As Fuck” rockers from New Jersey created a disc worthy of praise.

“Don’t Tell Me What To Dream” opens the disc in true GF fashion. Oh how I have missed Byron Davis’ growl. The guys come out guns blazing. Drummer Corey Pierce is fierce on this track (and many more to follow). The guitar work really stands out here. “My Rebirth” has all the key ingredients of the classic GF songs of the past. The breakdowns and interludes make this song flow nicely and add to the bands list of great tracks. “A Few Good Men” has tons of pings and squeals to please any guitar player, especially the duo of Doc Coyle and Matt Wicklund. Byron gives his vocal chords a real workout on this track. “Scraping The Walls” is a track that would come off well live. The track has a great groove that would come across well to an audience. “Conquer” has very cool vocal layering and cooler guitar work and riffs. Not to be forgotten, John Outcalt does an excellent job anchoring the rhythm section on this track.

“Equilibrium” was a superb choice as the title track, as this one really encompasses all things God Forbid. This song evokes the same energy in me that most songs from Constitution Of Treason (my fav GF disc until this one) did. The guitar riffs stand out here, as does John and Corey’s back beat. “Overcome” continues the aural assault in great fashion and leads perfectly into the next track. “Cornered” is highlighted by Corey’s monster drum sound. He drives home the real value of having a great time keeper behind the kit. “This Is Who I Am” has one of the best grooves and very cool layered vocals that play off between Byron and Doc. This track is another sure to be classic.

“Move On” is a good track that fits the mood of the album, but still seems out of place somehow. “Pages” comes out of the chute and rocks from the start. The drumming and bass here are huge and the vocals really accentuate the track. The breakdowns and time changes here are really good, as is the guitar solo. “Awakening” is a beautiful instrumental piece that allows the band to show their talent off without being over the top. The guitar work is masterful here, as is the rhythm section; they are masters of their respective domains. “Where We Come From” ties everything together and wraps it up in a neat little bow with the final track of the disc. This track captures a little bit of everything done right on this disc.

Again, God Forbid has raised the bar for themselves. Once I got my hands on this one, I couldn’t stop looking at my name in the liner notes, but once I got a listen, I couldn’t get it out of my CD player. This one is worth the price of admission folks. If you you’re your metal on the heavier side sit back and enjoy the ride… it’s going to get bumpy, but very satisfying!!!

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Tags: Equilibrium, God Forbid, Hardcore

Category: CD Reviews