Godsplague's hard and heavy rock/metal references US 70's southern rock bands such as Z.Z Top and later, sludgier acts without sounding too "red" or lifeless. Besides being more cohesive than their strong debut, Evilution, Triumph features better recording quality, enabling the listener to hear more clearly the band's exceptional skills. Highly regarded for his work not only with Godsplague but with the numerous other bands to whom he has loaned his services (Suburban Tribe, Lullacry, Waltari, Leningrad Cowboys, and The Black League among others), Euge Valovirta produces ass-kicking riffs with a unique type of heavy sound, like that of cars being banged together, and his expert solos are inventive and varied. Underneath is a solid foundation laid by (now ex-) drummer O.J. and bassist Arska Hietala. Blessed with a gritty, rich, and powerful voice, Nico Hartonen (who had a brief stint with Hevein in 2003) wields it with extraordinary craft, his technique and vitality unsurpassed in this genre. The lines he delivers are also on a higher level than is typical for this kind of music, not nearly as mindless as some of the titles might suggest, offering substance, articulateness and freshness. How commonly does a song with a title like "Hell Raisin' Beer Drinkin'" evoke apocalyptic images (amidst, granted, sounds of belching)?

From the blast-out opening of "Insania" to the last note of "War Sign" this is a flawless album: seven mini-masterpieces that are supremely anthemic whether rocking out or in dreamy-ballsy slow-mode, one glorious riff after another, always with that special metal-on-metal banging tone, while Hartonen channels his entire being into each vocal. There's nothing really weak about the rest of the songs, but they don't resonate to the same degree as the first seven. Rhythmically and melodically minimalistic, "Good as Hell" (which at times sounds like musical accompaniment to a wild chase around a chicken coop) and "Supersatan" feature some fancy guitarwork and an invigorating pace, but are ultimately merely fun. For high-speed mania I prefer "Axes Granted" and for relentlessness the mid-tempo but unstoppable "Hell Belly." Still, "Good as Hell" and "Supersatan" are audacious and distinctive, whereas "Tomorrow In The End" and "We're Here To Die" seem somewhat generic in comparison to similarly styled songs like "Praise These Wounds" and "One Shot," respectively, lacking their majestic nature. The drop-off in these last four tracks is relatively slight, however, not enough to horribly diminish the high built by the first two-thirds of the album, where Godsplague transcend genre and just about any other criterion through the quality of their material and performances. This band can be strongly recommended to, frankly, anyone who likes music which is hard and heavy, and will be especially appreciated by those who want it to be more than that.

written by Maud

Playing time: 44.03