He Was A God “The Smile & The Scar” EP Review

December 31, 2021 Tracy Morrow 0 Comments He Was A God, TAG Publicity

He Was A God is a new project created by musicians from Genitorturers, Deadstar Assembly, and Adva, to name a few. Their debut offering of metal magic is “The Smile & The Scar”, a three song EP.

The band shares their motivation for this EP, “Wasted potential. Shattered Trust. A small-town tragedy…“The Smile & The Scar” tells stories of great loss: loss of innocence, loss of faith, and the loss of dear friends and family… But through that loss comes strength and determination. Through that loss comes clarity. We don’t hide our scars. They become a part of who we are.”

“Amadeus” starts off with an epically melodic and sinister vibe. It feels like I’m on a Viking ship getting ready to rage and raid, because “Amadeus” reminds me of great warrior songs. The harmonies are layered and tastefully complex. A delicious flow expands with an ominous quality. Great song writing and super sweet guitars! Despite the layers and fullness, there is just the right amount of space. The vocalist is clearly owning the melody. (Make sure to watch the official lyric video below, created by Randall Hammer).

Next up, “Indelible”, creates chills down my spine before the second measure begins. This song sounds a little angrier, and more resolute. The musicianship is outstanding and it’s easy to tell that it’s coming from highly skilled aficionados. While there is a more furious vibe, there is also a more chilled out quality than the first track. The half-stepping is generous and adds perfectly to the harmonies. There is also more guitar sweetness, and the breakdown has a sort of corner bar in Louisiana mood, but only for a second. Truly outrageous and courageous song writing. All the songs are much more creative than the traditional verse, chorus, repeat. It’s more – dare I say operatic? Definitely dramatic and theatrical – with tasty as F*(& note choices.

Thank you, He Was A God for stretching the boundaries! I believe you created something that will raise the bar of metal song crafting.

But I digress….

The last track is “The New Stars” and intros with a more traditional guitar that has a masterful, sort of overlay effect. The whispers!!!! – with the ominous noodling… seeing these guys live is going on my bucket list for sure! The verse doesn’t sound like a verse, and I can’t really tell what’s going on, but in the best of ways. It feels like when you set out to on a journey that takes you through life-changing adventures.

Anyone who gets tired of hearing the same tired sounds – over and over – but love metal, needs to add this EP to their playlists. It’s curious and satisfying with a genius balance of scale riffs and soul. This is an amazing start to something I think will set a huge mark.

Hailing from Southern Connecticut, “He Was A God” is: