And a fine afternoon, swept by a furious wind yet wrapped in warmth, brought a band from Switzerland: Chotzä, active since 2013.
I admit that, despite having quite a few releases under their belt, the album we’re looking at, ‘Negu, Nietä, Schtachudraht’, released via Souhung Records (CD), Hieb & Stich Records (12″ vinyl) and Narbentage Produktionen (cassette), hit me hard right from the start. Clean, sharp guitars meet a solid dose of Black ‘n’ Roll. Driven by an excellent bassline and paired with fierce, aggressive vocals, their sound immediately calls to mind the Norwegian classic Carpathian Forest or, even more so, Poland’s Owl Woods Graves. Across ten tracks, subtle keyboard passages are injected with just the right touch to accentuate every key moment. As a bonus, Chotzä’s music comes wrapped in delightfully twisted cover art.
To top it off, the guitar solos throughout the album are fantastic: melodic, precise, and hitting right where it hurts. Enjoy responsibly!
