After the artistic success of 2015's No Image - which united journalists, musicians, music lovers and even a pro-wrestler in its appraisal - GOLD returns with its successor. Together with producer Randall Dunn (a.o. Sunn O))), Earth, Ash Borer, Marissa Nadler), GOLD have put their angular drive, their blackened guitar textures, and the composed yet vulnerable vocal delivery of Milena Eva in an even broader context. GOLD have created an almost unlimited space for their unique unity of beauty and cruelty to crush and confuse even more. Within her lyrics Milena Eva lays bare her insecurities, internal struggles and self-doubt, as a means to reach out and connect. To ultimately inspire acceptance and love of the self, of the known and of the alien. To resist the apathy as expressed in the album's first lyric - 'Binge-watching the world collapse' - and to include. Thomas Sciarone comments: “Our activism and socio-criticism is strongly rooted in self-reflection and improving our selves. We do not only intend to break down walls and bridge gaps between scenes and genres, but also - more importantly - between people. And if it’s necessary to call out those who want to stand between us, we artistically will. It’s no coincidence that the last shot of the last video we took from No Image shows an awkwardly confident Donald Trump.” With their nonconformist outsider approach, which the New York Times strikingly defined as "serenely intense... near-metal", GOLD has managed to find a previously uninhabited spot that is truly their own. To achieve this in the heart of such a densely populated musical landscape, rather than at its outskirts, is the exciting result of intense years of performing and self-reflection. Optimist is an adventurous confirmation of GOLD’s reputation as an enthralling band, on stage and on record.
