Review
A massive fuzz riff crashes out of the gate on opener “Corinthian Leatherface,” immediately framing Boston veterans Gozu as a band operating at the peak of their power. On Gozu VI, the quartet refines their stoner-metal formula with a raw vulnerability born from personal upheaval. Critics widely praise the record for leveraging this turbulence, resulting in a "deeply soulful and cathartic heavy rock record" that hits with genuine emotional weight rather than relying on standard, macho aggression.
Sonically, the album plays with contrast, matching "pummeling yet groovy riffs" with Marc Gaffney’s soaring, soulful vocal work. There is a distinct back-and-forth swing between high-octane sludge and more expansive, melodic territory. Tracks like “Banacek” inject classic metal galloping rhythms, while the sprawling “Corner Lariat” offers a softer, twilight-hued respite. Though some reviewers noted they could have taken sharper left turns, the consensus holds that Gozu VI excels by making its "fuzz-saturated" heavy rock feel remarkably human and deeply lived-in.
