A powerful instrumental section, a fierce and passionate frontman, and a loyal following give Such Gold the strength that is present on both a stage and a record. Their highly anticipated debut full-length, Misadventures, is the pinnacle of their previous EPs and splits, displaying their consistent energy and unrelenting force.
The high point of Misadventures is the first half of the thirty-minute record; that is not to say that the second half does not deliver. Those initial fifteen minutes attract and maintain an audience in a way that makes people crave how the record will inevitably conclude. Two Year Plan introduces the album, showing off Skylar Sarkis and Nate Derby's slick guitar work as vocalist Ben Kotin repeatedly asks, "Where did we stray?" near the end. Storyteller, a track that was previously released, also made the cut on the album. The tune is a minute and a half-long pulse-racer, featuring Kotin telling the kids about being overwhelmed in a problematic place ("I wish that I could say that the days alleviate/This artificial pain I never thought that I’d be feeling at this age").
The band's rhythm and energy stays constant throughout Misadventures. Most of the tracks are honest and angry-typical of Such Gold. Tell Yourself is the most striking track in this bracket ("You’re only what you tell yourself you are/And lying to yourself can only get you so far"). There is no denying that drummer Devan Bentley is the backbone of Such Gold's powerfully crushing sound, bringing the complex guitar work and admirably vehement vocals to notice. The guitars and drums unite in a unique way during Keyhole M.O., resulting in the fervent sound that supports Kotin as he succeeds in not bursting a blood vessel. Kotin expresses how, "We say 'pathological liar' like it’s something rare" as the guitars descend into an ominous riff that follows the song to its two and a half minute close. The finale, You Are Your Greatest Threat (The Doctor Will Serve You Now), is a decent album closer, but can be mistaken as a track that leads to the last song during the first few listens.
Such Gold has acquired quite a large fan base before their debut album was even in progress. Misadventures gives those supporters a crutch they have been aching over for a while now. For a first full-length release, Misadventures further validates Such Gold as a band to watch out for in the coming years.
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Written by Melissa Jones
