No stranger to a catchy riff and powerful vocal run, Vukovi have returned with their fourth album MY GOD HAS GOT A GUN, a fierce war-cry against the darkness within.While their last album NULA launched us to intergalactic heights, with MY GOD HAS GOT A GUN the Scottish alt-metal duo have set up camp a little closer to home. This latest addition to their discography turns inward to create a reflective sonic embodiment of that dark place within our minds I’m sure everyone has been stuck in at some point in their lives—gloomy, all-consuming, though not without some glimmers of hope.
Combining the charisma and bite of their early days with the rich darker tones they have adopted in recent years, Vukovi have created a streamlined sound that is rich with grit, power and raw emotion. Fearlessly dark, captivating and daringly on the nose.
Production-wise, MY GOD HAS GOT A GUN is probably the closest thing to minimalism we’ll see from a band like this. The synths and vocal overlays which were once signature Vukovi have been cast aside in this album to make room for the raw instrumentation and vocals to shine even brighter. This is clear from the very first track THIS IS MY LIFE AND MY TRAUMA, a short but sweet mission statement of all the album has to offer – from its eerie vocal harmonies, brutally honest and slightly tongue-in-cheek lyricism to its crashing crescendos and snappy riffs.
Following this vivacious opening number and the high-octane lead single GUNGHO is the impossibly catchy title track. Brought to life by Hamish Reilly’s guitar mastery and bouncing riffs that refuse to leave your head afterwards, MY GOD HAS GOT A GUN is a playful but brutally honest depiction of mental illness as a villainous higher power. An apt choice for the album title, this track sets up vivid imagery for the rest of the album as each track delves deeper and deeper into the realities of going into battle with your own mind.
FUC KIT UP and MISTY ECSTASY continue on this trajectory by offering a cocktail of rage and desperation, pushing back against this evil ruler with pounding drums, taunting lyricism and biting guitars. While the album’s ferocity and power is undeniable, tracks like FALLEN BEYOND, SNO and COWBOY stand out in the listening journey for their vulnerability and haunting vocal performance. In perfect synergy with the dark, powerful instrumentals, Janine Shilstone penetrates through the soundscape with emotion-fueled vocals as she flawlessly conquers angelic highs and gritty lows.
As dark and desperate as it is empowering, MY GOD HAS GOT A GUN emerges victorious in its introspective conflicts and stands proud as potentially their best album to date. The duo’s magical synergy is more evident than ever, creating a solid soundscape that cherry-picks from elements of Vukovi’s previous works while establishing an entirely new— yet just as authentic— vision for the band.
For fans of: YONAKA, Yours Truly, Bring Me The Horizon, Creeper
‘MY GOD HAS GOT A GUN’ by Vukovi is released on 24th January on Sharptone Records.
Words by Heather Swift
