Golgotha – Hubris

Golgotha
Hubris
Label: Abstract Emotions
Out: 24^th April 2026
Playing time: 41:16

Following ‘Spreading The Wings Of Hope’ comes the next dark album from Golgotha of Mallorca. It has been just two years since the predecessor to ‘Hubris’ was released. The 2022 release ‘Mors Diligentis’ also follows this two-year cycle. As the line-up has remained largely unchanged since ‘Spreading The Wings Of Hope’ (only drummer Rafel Garcies is new to the band), the musicians have been able to work on new material at their leisure.

To capture the real and vivid darkness of Hubris, Golgotha turned to producer Davide Billia (Antropofagus, Beheaded, Posthuman Abomination etc) and the band have described his contribution as “essential in shaping the power and character we wanted for this album”.

So, there’s certainly plenty to look forward to in this latest work.

‘A Simple Life’ begins with melancholic, clear vocals. Even when quiet yet punchy guitars and angry growls kick in later on, the underlying melancholic mood persists. ‘The Weight Of The Weak’ is a touch faster. At times, double bass drum passages further increase the tempo. Once again, clear female vocals dominate at first. María J. Lladó’s voice is instantly recognisable. Later, the bitter growls join in. Harsh vocals, which seem to come straight from the deepest depths of hell, introduce “Broken Toy”, accompanied by majestic, dark, heavy riffs. But María once again provides a healthy dose of melancholy. Slow yet aggressive, “Empty Minds” literally sends an ice-cold shiver down your spine, making the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. The riffs at the start of “Too Late” sound almost upbeat. But only briefly; then come heavy riffs and Andrew Spinoza’s growls, interplaying with the ethereal clean vocals. The highlight is a powerful guitar solo that breaks out of the calm doom atmosphere. ‘Blind’ also starts off almost cheerfully at first. But the vocals, which kick in soon after, immediately dampen the mood. The powerful riffs and guitar melodies at the start of ‘Fire In The Shadows’ are significantly faster than before. In contrast, the closing track ‘Intolerance’ is solemn and very doom-laden.

With ‘Hubris’, the Mallorcan band have clearly managed to maintain the standard set by their previous album. They refuse to be swayed by current trends, instead sticking steadfastly to their own style. This consistency is impressive, as is the relative stability of the line-up. Since their comeback album ‘Erasing the Past’ (2019), Golgotha have treated us to new material every two to three years. Let’s hope it continues this way.

Golgotha – A Simple Life: https://youtu.be/nHgP3G-OvxE?si=bscXjTTFZw6pVVxr

Lineup:

Vicente J. Paya – Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
Andrew Spinoza – Bass, Harsh Vocals
Rafel Garcies – Drums
María J. Lladó – Clean Vocals
Dan Garcia – Guitars

Track list:

• A Simple Life
• The Weight Of The Weak
• Broken Toy
• Empty Minds
• Too Late
• Blind
• Fire In The Shadows
• Intolerance