Esther Kohl – “Godziller”
Brooklyn, New York-based indie artist Esther Kohl returns to the blog with the untamed alternative metal track “Godziller.”
“Godziller” is the best bit of fucked-up rock ’n’ roll I’ve heard all year. A sneering cacophony of sound that is brutally uncompromising, it grabs you by the collar and refuses to let go. There are shades of Hole, Dead Sara, The Mysterines, Blackwater Holylight, and also Poppy now that she has wholeheartedly embraced the metal scene… but this is wrapped up in a package that feels heavier, more industrial and unequivocally arena-ready.
From start to finish, you are surrounded by gargantuan, thick, fuzzy electric guitars that seem dead set on abrasively scrubbing your ears like sandpaper. The riffs lurch and grind with ruthless force, while the lead guitars howl overhead, adding something both wild and strangely lush to the chaos. “Godziller” is uncompromising, in-your-face, and confrontational, never once backing down. Beneath it all, thrashing drums bullishly propel the song forward with irresistible momentum.
Esther Kohl delivers her vocal with an unhinged yet fiercely charismatic attitude. It is a performance that feels intimate and incendiary in equal measure, forever teetering on the brink of complete chaos. Kohl is utterly captivating as she embraces the role of anti-hero like a female Iggy Pop. Fierce, fearless and sublimely spellbinding you fully believe her delivery of the lyrics that explore chaos, self-destruction, and the intoxication of power.