Album Review: He Was A God, “Muckraker”

Ask any prog-lover in Connecticut, and they might tell you their state’s prog-metal scene is pretty sweet. One could even make an argument that the genre got its start in Hartford back in the early ’80s with Fates Warning. And even forty years later, we still find some incredible progressive rock and metal bands that call Connecticut their home. Bands like Mile Marker Zero and Earthside have gained steady followings over the past decade, with the latter currently on a US tour supporting Caligula’s Horse. Yet, the current scene doesn’t stop there; I could go through a laundry list of progressive bands that play locally in Connecticut that you need to check out, including Head With Wings, Shagohod, and of course He Was A God.

He Was A God was formed in 2019 by a bunch of old friends who had spent the prior several years playing in other bands and projects. Composed of guitarists Tony Pellino and Ray Zvovushe, bassist Dan Perrone, and drummer Chris Densky, the group began writing a brand of melodic alt-metal that is simultaneously crushing and soaring. They rounded out their lineup in 2021 with vocalist Benjamin Curns, and on December 17th of that year they released a three-song EP entitled The Smile & the Scar. Since then, they have played all over Connecticut, delivering truly electric shows. Having shared the stage with them a few times with my own band Involute, I can certainly say that this is one of the most professional independent bands out there. And on February 23rd, they will be releasing their debut LP, Muckraker.

If you are at all familiar with the live show He Was A God brings, you’re probably pumped to hear this album. And boy, these guys knocked it out of the park. The album has great production, and the added layering on each track gives all of their live staples a new life. The additional guitar tracks, synthesizers, backing vocals, and lead instrument harmonies make this such a full listen. Though clocking in at 54 minutes, the album is split up in a way that is digestible, even for such a dense brand of melodic metal. For instance, tracks five (“Knight to Rook Three”) and ten (“Incarnadine”) serve as break tracks — keyboard interludes written and performed by rhythm guitarist and producer Tony Pellino — which sort of groups the album into two chunks that are four songs each (tracks 1-4 and tracks 6-9), leaving the last song “Blood On Our Hands” as the definitive closer. And as you listen to it, maybe you will make the same comparison I do, which is treating each of the four-song chunks as individual sides of a record. For example, though track six (“The Great Divide”) seems so far through the album, it sounds like a great opener to the “second half,” if you will. Anyway, let’s dive into this upcoming release.

Merriam Webster defines the verb “muckrake” as “to search out and publicly expose real or apparent misconduct of a prominent individual or business.” Anybody who has had the pleasure of seeing He Was A God on stage knows that vocalist Benjamin Curns loves to not just take moments between songs to make announcements about corrupt people and organizations, but sing about them with the utmost intensity and passion throughout the entire set. Credited as the sole lyricist on every track with vocals, Curns highlights all kinds of societal issues, from police brutality and corruption (“Pestilence”), to drug addiction (“Track Marks”), to the horrendous reality of increased school shootings (“Class Dismissed”). If you take a close look at the cover art Luca Solo Macello made for the album, you may spot almost, if not all the songs referenced in some way in the unsettling collage.

The album kicks off with “Forward March,” which sounds as if its full intention since its conception was to open the album. Despite seeing these guys five or so times, I’m not sure I have ever seen them play this song on a stage, so it was interesting for me to hear something brand new to start the album. Much of the track reminds me of the melodic metal you would hear from bands like Dark Tranquility or In Flames, with the exception of harsh vocals. We are immediately exposed to Ray Zvovushe’s blistering lead guitar runs, as well as Benjamin Curns’ immaculate poetic lines (“Decision / Surgery starts with an incision” is such a great opening line and foreshadows so much). After that, we have one of their live staples, “Pestilence,” which is one of the tracks I believe defines everything He Was A God is all about. The heavy grooves a-la Faith No More, King’s X, and Sevendust, combined with the catchy lead melodies both on the guitar and vocals; this is He Was A God. At first, I was surprised by the tempo of the track, recalling it felt much faster live, but as I listened through the whole album for the first time, I realized this was a trend for every song I had heard them play at a show. “Class Dismissed,” track eight on the album, is also very similar in its delivery, which is why its fitting that it was the band’s first single.

The third song we hear on Muckraker, “Track Marks,” has some of the heaviest moments on the album. On top of Benjamin Curns putting on a Mike Patton-esque vocal clinic throughout, the song’s mini-suite structure shows some of the progressive side of He Was a God. “Game of Pretend,” a personal favorite of mine, is the other track I would point to if you want to hear the more progressive influences that bleed into He Was a God’s music. The sort of Celtic breaks in the latter track is one of my favorite motifs in the whole album; a deviation from all of the heaviness, and a little wacky without sounding too goofy. If you talk to some of the guys, they name-drop bands such as Porcupine Tree, Devin Townsend, and Mr. Bungle as some of their favorites of all-time, and it shows.

As I moved on with my first listen through the album, I couldn’t help but think if every “old-school” fan of this band was as curious as me to hear what they did with their song “Two New Stars,” a re-recording of the last song from their 2021 EP, The Smile & the Scar. Often a closer in their sets, the fourth track is the last song before the first album interlude, “Knight to Rook Three,” which is actually quite fitting. This song is a moment for any new fans of the band to see what I am talking about when I point out the differences in how the tracks are arranged on this album versus when the band plays live. After you listen to this song for the first time, take another five or six minutes to throw on the EP version, which is vastly different. On Muckraker, the song sounds slower, but it has so much that is added to it; not just in the production and layering of keyboards and additional vocals, but also some structure changes at the end. Although much different from most of the album, this re-recording is the gem of Muckraker — a melodic masterpiece.

I know I’ve already mentioned how important the two interludes on the album are, giving listeners a chance to breathe and reflect on the previous four tracks before diving into the next batch, but this pacing does not seem indicative with how the band has been moving since their inception. The album was recorded from October of 2022 to August of 2023, and after it was mixed and mastered by Ryan Boesch at Candor Recording in Tampa, FL, He Was A God has been campaigning this release hard. These guys are dedicated musicians on top of the jobs they already have, and they have definitely gained some traction through this early 2024 campaign. The second single for the album, “The Great Divide” was actually released exclusively through Metal Injection before it reached all the streaming services a few days later. This politically-charged song showcases the band’s System of a Down influence, and its the only song they have a music video for currently. I personally love that this blasts off right after the “Knight to Rook Three.” Dan Perrone’s bass-playing on this song in particular is my favorite on the album, especially during the stripped-down bridge section. The only moment that may give it a run for its money is that second verse in the closing track.

With this release, it might be worth considering that there aren’t many “softer” pieces, despite He Was A God being a very dynamic band. There are certainly moments within songs, but no full songs that strip everything down. It would be really cool to hear a song like “Escape Plan” with a more stripped-down structure, as it reminds me of some of my favorite excerpts from Alice in Chains’ Dirt. But at the same time, these guys utilize great distorted guitar tones as much as possible because, well, they do sound fantastic. And if you ever have the opportunity to catch them live, you would understand that there is virtually no way of containing Chris Densky behind the kit. The guy is a madman, and the fire he brings to each song is truly riveting.

What can I say? He Was A God slams, Muckraker slams, and if you don’t listen to this album or start following this band as a hard-rock or metal fan, then my friend you are missing out. This is one of the best bands out of Connecticut in the past five years, and their upcoming debut album is just the tip of the iceberg.

He Was A God’s latest album, Muckraker, will be released February 23, 2024. Pre-order it here.