Local Love: Review of God Am

As indicated by their name, God Am of Indianapolis draws a lot of influence from Alice In Chains on their debut EP. Their brand of grungy alternative metal doesn't have the melancholy of Dirt or Alice's self-titled album but its dark, aggressive sound isn't too far off from the more straightforward Facelift. One could also find Tool aspiration during the quieter numbers and the vocal delivery seems to take cues more from Dax Riggs or Wednesday 13 than dear old Layne.

There is a good amount of variety with there being eight songs in under a half hour. Most of them alternate hard hitting tracks like "Die Away From Me" and "Get Off!" and building numbers like the bookending "Zed Is Dead" and "Livestock." The contrast is best demonstrated by "Keeper's Diary" and "Itchy, Tasty" as the flow between them is accentuated by the vocals operating at their most brooding.

But with everything going on, there are moments that feel like they could've developed further. The bookending tracks are the best of the lot but they would be even more effective with longing run times. There is also hope for more fluctuating tempos and a wider emotional range, but that would likely come with a full-length effort.

Overall, God Am's debut EP is a solid sample of alternative metal with signs of promise. The influences are obvious but don't feel ripped off and the EP's contrasts never feel too jarring. One can hope that their future full-lengths will have even more to offer.

Highlights:
"Zed Is Dead"
"Die Away From Me"
"Get Off!"
"Livestock"