Jehovah Lashing – Jehovah Lashing [Re-Release]

Originally released in 2023, the self-titled debut album by Jehovah Lashing first only had a digital version available, yet more or less around the same release date of the band’s second offering, this first record appears on cassette tape via Profaner Records. Slowly but surely the Spanish label with Latin-American roots is becoming a strong force of uncompromising and merciless metal of the extreme kind. And, frankly, Jehovah Lashing fits in that same tradition quite seamlessly.

Although the band regards this recording as their debut album, it is only just two seconds over 18 minutes long. So, to most of us that would count as an EP, but regardless of the moniker that you’d like to file this one under, the playing time is just about perfect. It is not quite the first time I am making this statement and most surely I will do that again, but this sort of music is best served in short, sharp and shocking portions.

The energy and sheer brutality keeps all of its power on a shorter time span, stopped before it becomes all too much of the same and ends up in a senseless rut of noise. Although Jehovah Lashing is a band that does very little to make their music versatile or adventurous, the rather short playing time serves the music perfectly.

In 18 minutes and 16 tracks, the music is as one-dimensional, brutal, savage and extremely powerful. Although the music is clearly comprised of the more or less standard sort of Black/Death Metal cornerstones, there is a good portion of Grindcore to give the music an even sharper and more brutal edge. Inhuman growls, stupidly simple drumming and monstrous riffs, it all blends together in some total caveman grotesquery. And, yes, that is exactly how this stuff should sound. Indeed, no finesse, no versatility, no song writing. It is the power and the noise that this is all about.

But don’t let it all fool you, saying “no song writing” does not mean it is all utter nonsense. On the contrary. Keeping this sort of music chaotic, but not overly messy, exiting instead of getting it bogged down into that “rut of noise” requires a deep understanding of the music. And, no, it is no rocket science, but there’s more than meets the ear, that’s for sure.

Oh, and I love how basically every song starts with the same four drum beats, I’d be damned if these two guys don’t like their fair share of Archgoat!