Album Review: Shihad -'Old Gods'

 


Shihad has ridden possibly the roughest path of any New Zealand band. They have survived drug abuse, loss of loved ones, a name change to Pacifier from 2002 to 2004, after the 9/11 attacks, and other obstacles that have changed, and molded them into the band they are today. Over 30 years after forming in 1988, while still in high school, Shihad is still standing and is stronger than ever. If anything is proof of that, it is their new album. Old Gods is as heavy as a punch to the face and delivers a vicious statement on the current state of New Zealand, and the world. 


Old Gods kicks things off with ‘Tear Down Those Names’, beginning with a drop-tuned riff, with a pulsing kick drum underneath, before the song explodes into action. This song is really highlighted by its heavy chorus, with Jon Toogood chanting “It’s time to tear down those names” over the chaotic music, along with the high-pitched tremolo guitar, played by Phil Knight. I also love the heavy marching rhythms played on the floor tom by Tom Larkin, which is also heard a lot on 2014’s FVEY, along with his slow heavy drum beats. Title track ‘Old Gods’ has a higher tempo, which contrasts to the previous track. This track builds on the energy that the first track started, particularly in the breakdown, over Jon’s vocal line, “kill these old gods”. There is another great breakdown in the outro of ‘Mink Coat’, slow and doom-laden, with incoherent voiceovers, as well as an awesome bridge section, which gradually builds in heaviness. One of my favorite songs on Old Gods is the album's second single, ‘Feel The Fire’. This song has great melodic vocals, and a very common Shihad guitar arrangement, where Jon plays the main riff while Phill adds in high-pitched motifs. The song gets really heavy and intense in the bridge, before everything drops out, apart from Jon and Phil. I really like the anthemic chorus, which will be great live. 


‘Just Like You’ is another one of my faves, especially the chorus’ heavy riff and drum beat. The song also features an awesome tremolo guitar solo played by Phil, and a slow outro, with the repeated lyrics, “the end of days”. Shihad’s drummer, Tom Larkin, really has a moment in the spotlight on the track ‘Slow Dawning’, opening the track, and joining the guitars, playing a driving rhythm at its closing. Old Gods closes with ‘The Wreckage’, a throwback to the early thrash metal days of Shihad, with a guitar riff that could be likened to Metallica or Suicidal Tendencies. We are treated to one final, balls to the wall heavy breakdown before the album ends as abruptly as it started.


Shihad is a band that has taken the opportunity to use music to share their views on the world, and in light of the last 7 years since their last release, there is certainly plenty to talk about. Seeing the world go through a pandemic, health systems overwhelmed, and racial inequalities coming to a climax has definitely brought out the darker side of our world, and put the spotlight on the horrifying consequences of anger, greed, and injustice. This political approach is especially characterized by songs like ‘Little Demons’ and ‘Empire Falling’. Old Gods also touches on organized religion, in ‘The Hill Song’, which particularly focuses on a huge mega-church founded in New Zealand by a paedophile. Musically, this song carries elements of 2005’s Love Is The New Hate, which is my personal favorite Shihad album. 


Any fan of Shihad is almost guaranteed to love this album, just as I do. Old Gods delivers an enormous musical ‘fuck you’ to anything going on, or that has gone on in the world that makes the band tick as people. In my mind, Shihad is, without a doubt, one of the best rock bands that New Zealand has ever seen, and, as I have never seen them live, next time they play Auckland, you can bet anything that I’ll be there.

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