If Everything Happens For A Reason…. Then Nothing Really Matters At All – this is definitely the longest album title I had to cope with so far in the history of Flyctory.com media reviews. The band behind this epic title is Gone is Gone from the United States, who have a quite picturesque lineup. The album, which is their second one, will be released on 4th December 2020.
Gone Is Gone – About The Artists
Gone Is Gone is what is often referred to as a “super-group”. Their roots are in 2016 in Los Angeles, when they released their first EP. The initiative was a collaboration of movie trailer composer and multi-instrumentalist Mike Zarin and drummer Toby Haijar, who is well-known for being part of the band At The Drive In. They initially did movie soundtrack, but the feedback was that overwhelming that they develop an own style and finally upgraded their project with Troy Sanders (vocals, bass / Mastodon) and Troy Van Leeuwen (guitar / Queens of the Stone Age). After their self-titled debut EP in 2016, they released their debut album Echolocation on 6th January 2017.
Gone Is Gone – If Everything Happens For A Reason Then Nothing Really Matters At All – Track by Track
The twelve track album lasts 40 minutes.
1. Resfeber
Resfeber is a about two minute intro – more “sounds” than music. A reasonable warm-up.
2. Say Nothing
Say Nothing starts with some industrial sounds. The song develops towards a slow rock track with a good touch of electronic sounds. Good starter.
3. Everything Is Wonderfall
Too many places appear the same
And your reflection mirrors the game
Take one break and fall to your knees
Dance in the sunshine, swim in the sea
So many faces appear the same
And your reflection mirrors the game
Take one break and fall to your knees
Dance in the sunshine, swim in the sea
Everything Is Wonderfall has been released one of the singles of the albums already. The song plays with similar elements: powerful rock parts, which have a strong flavor of hard rock, electronic and atmospheric elements. The song tells a story, not having a classic verse – chorus – verse – chorus structure. I rather enjoyed their first album, but Gone is Gone have a lovely and catching style – good song, indeed!
4. Wings Of Hope
I would see the Wings Of Hope rather as a two minute interlude. Atmospheric, choral-alike vocals. Gives some mystic atmosphere. The mechanic breath feels frightening.
5. Sometimes I Feel
This song strongly plays with different atmosphere: there is a mechanical, periodic sound through most parts of the song, like a robot. Then you have threatening, quiet parts – even with a helicopter and alarm sounds at the end. Out of that thriller atmosphere, Gone is Gone suddendly pushes out rock elements.
6. No One Ever Walked On Water
The play and battle of different elements is constant through the whole album – but in No One Ever Walked On Water, the rock parts definitely have a strong role. I feel the band is great in these sections – thus, I like that song.
7. Death Of A Dream
The heart appears to shine
And the soul is setting free
I question the want of “Do I stay or let it go”
We started this in darkness
And the moon dances with the rain
The short, melodic chorus is one of the most catching elements of the whole album. Finest progressive rock – even though I feel I would love to have more tracks which keep the playing style of the chorus – the band is just that good in that.
8. Crimson Chaos and You
The album is so fluent, it is very often hard to spot that you are listening to the next track already. Bad luck for tracks like Crimson Chaos, which is just lasting some two minutes. Again, I would rather see the track as an atmospheric bridge between two songs.
9. Breaks
Now your blinded sights of limitation
Feeling if you erase it
Ever reeling
First to last
Make sure there are no breaks
Breaks is maybe the most atmospheric song to me. You feel that the band is doing their thing in this song – just in line with Troy Sanders, who states in the promotion information that no Gone is Gone members needs to play in that band. Gone is Gone simply enjoys being creative together. The product is indeed no mainstream, but an interesting listen.
10. Payoff
Payoff is something like the “hidden superstar” of the album to me. A very dark, metal-alike sound with strong keyboard elements. The vocals are breathtaking.
11. Force Of A Feather
Force Of A Feather is likely the song on If Everything Happens For A Reason … Then Nothing Really Matters At All, which is having the straightest, most constant melody line. A very slow songs with vibrating electric sounds.
12. Dirge For Delusions
In the final track, Dirge For Delusions, which is also the longest one on the album (5:30 minutes), the band is again travelling through different styles and sounds. Feels like an essay of the album to me.
Gone Is Gone – If Everything Happens For A Resaon Then Nothing Really Matters At All – Spotify
Here is the Spotify widget of the album:
Gone Is Gone – If Everything Happens For A Reason Then Nothing Really Matters At All – My View
The good thing about this review is: no matter what I write in here, there will be people, who complain massively about my critics and people who will love me. The only fact to me is: this band is an amazing project. You feel the vast concentration of talent in every moment of the album. Gone is Gone is doing their own style – a mixture of electro-rock, progressive elements, metal, atmospheric and industrial sounds. If you like that touch, this album might be a hot candidate for your personal 2020 Album of the Year. For other listeners, it may be too much, too multi-facetted, too experimental. Music is a matter of taste – but even if the recordings are far away from mainstream, the album is prettily done.
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