Spanish melodic doom legends Golgotha share new single ‘A Simple Life’

More than thirty years on from their Melancholy debut album, Spain’s premier exponents of gargantuan, emotive, melodic doom/death metal Golgotha are still forging ahead, redefining their style and creating albums of remarkable power, passion and depth. After the resounding triumph of 2024s Spreading The Wings Of Hope the band’s onward and upward trajectory shows no signs of slowing as they are already set to release their new, seventh full length album – Hubris. Far from a carbon copy of its illustrious predecessor, Hubris is made of rawer, darker stuff. Drawing on the personal struggles and intimate tragedies of everyday lives Hubris is unflinching in its presentation. The past is gone and the band have described Hubris as ‘a very important chapter that truly reflects who we are today’…

Beginning with the first single, ‘A Simple Life’, Hubris opens the floodgates of emotion and after a fragile vocal introduction the weight of despair crashes down upon the listener. The melodic chorus leads you with deceptive beauty into a deeper darkness and this desolate journey begins in earnest. ‘The Weight Of The Weak’ lifts the tempo, driving onwards with passages of genuine pace and some quality lead guitar work – something that also lights up the oppressive gloom of ‘Broken Toy’ and ‘Too Late’ – while ‘Blind’ is breathtaking in its overwhelming power, a majestic procession of sorrow. Before the emotionally punishing conclusion of ‘Intolerance’, we find one of Hubris’ many highlights in the atmospheric form of ‘Fire In The Shadows’. This song enfolds you in its black wings, encloses you in surging walls of emotion, sealing you away from the world, isolating you within its austere judgement. Hubris will accept nothing but total honesty and will offer the same in return. There are no flights of fantasy here, just a courageous confrontation with the reality of the world and the reality of our own failings. As the band puts it – “These are not fictional stories, but fragments of real life turned into music”.

To find the ‘rawer, more direct’ sound that they were looking for, to bring out the rugged textures of Hubris, Golgotha turned to producer Davide Billia (Antropofagus, Beheaded, Posthuman Abomination etc) – and together they have sculpted the unique sonic character that this album demanded. A brave album, a demanding album and an ultimately rewarding album, Hubris will emerge from the shadows under the banner of Abstract Emotions on April 24th. Be prepared to lay your heart before its gaze.