It’s wild how fast things can shift when the right lineup meets the right moment. GAI 荄, the Hanoi-based “nu-death” unit, technically isn’t a new band—they existed before under the same name, but on a much quieter scale. That all changed in 2024, when the band reemerged with a refreshed lineup, an upgraded sound, and a clearer direction. And to their credit, they’ve maintained the momentum since then with a consistent stream of content, a strong visual identity, and a savvy social media strategy that has garnered them recognition from both local and international modern metal circles.
The attention wasn’t just noise. With “YOU LIE“, their first full-length, GAI 荄 cements their voice, one that’s both familiar and curious. While the band coined the term nu-death to describe their sound, it’s essentially a modern metalcore hybrid. Think drop-tuned chugs, glitchy pitch dives, squeals, occasional hip-hop cadences, and rhythmic slowdowns that feel built for mosh calls and TikTok breakdown cuts alike. At times it borders deathcore, sometimes veers toward trap-metal or industrial, but at its core, it’s metalcore 2020s style, unapologetically digital and designed for big speakers.
Opener Sets the Tone, and the Tone Is Heavy
“YOU LIE” opens with “Same Old Story”, which immediately showcases the full palette—tightly gated riffs, rhythm-led vocal patterns, a thick mix, and just enough unpredictability in the structure to keep it interesting. From the jump, it’s clear this isn’t one of those “intro–verse–breakdown–done” songs. There’s detail to pay attention to, even if you’re not actively seeking it.
“Gutter Rat” continues in that direction but puts more emphasis on low-pitched growls and guttural delivery. Liam Wright, the band’s frontman, switches between traditional hardcore vocals, spat verses, and croaky mid-range yelling that gives the track a gritty emotional weight. There’s a flow to the songwriting that feels cohesive, and it builds tension instead of just stacking breakdowns.
This consistency is what separates “YOU LIE” from many releases in the genre. A lot of modern metalcore acts suffer from disjointed albums, collections of singles stitched together, each mixed and mastered in different sessions, creating a patchwork feel. Here, the entire release sounds like it was built with continuity in mind. That’s likely thanks to Tone Trung, the band’s guitarist, producer, and founding member, who shaped the entire record in-house. That kind of control results in an album that actually feels like an album, not just a playlist.
Genre Blending Without Losing Grip
It’s tempting to treat a genre like nu-death as just a made-up buzzword. But in GAI’s case, it’s a fairly functional descriptor. There are metalcore and deathcore foundations, yes, but you’ll hear hip-hop flows, trap hats, and glitch effects woven into the fabric, sometimes subtly, sometimes not. The vocals feel closer to Sworn In, King 810, or even early Alpha Wolf, especially when the band leans into groove or spoken passages.
A standout example of this blend is the title track “YOU LIE”. It’s short, sharp, and arguably one of the most effective tracks on the record. Choppy glitch riffs, rhythmic barking, and a message that’s straight up, no filler. You don’t need deeper context.
On the opposite end, “Viva la Deception” shifts gears and languages. Probably from Liam’s roots in Revasseur. It’s also one of the few tracks that puts more focus on vocal variety and longer structures.
Big Names and Solid Features
One thing worth mentioning is how well GAI handled their collaborations. A lot of times, guest spots in modern metal just feel like clout-trading, but here they serve the tracks.
Frankie Palmeri (Emmure) joins the band on “False Boy”, and it works because it doesn’t try to outshine the band, it just fits. His voice merges well into GAI’s world, and the song still feels like their own.
Matteo Gelsomino (Sal3m, ex-Novelists) features on “After All”, which might be the most melodic and dynamic track of the entire album. This one stood out most for me, partly because of Matteo’s recognizable tone, but also because it’s one of the few songs where you get actual melody, vocal hooks, and a chorus you’ll remember.
Which leads into the one thing I personally found missing in the overall picture…
Where’s the Melody?
This isn’t just a GAI issue (it’s a broader genre trend), but the lack of melodic development across the album makes it hard to separate songs on first listen. With so much focus on drops, rhythmic phrasing, and breakdowns, it often blurs together. You get riffs, sure, and you get energy, but it’s harder to pull individual tracks out of memory unless there’s a distinct vocal hook or textural change.
That’s what made “After All” so enjoyable, because it stood out. It offered contrast, pitch variation, and some smart use of rhythm and pitch shifting on guitars that didn’t rely solely on heaviness to carry the section. A few more songs in this lane could’ve helped the album breathe more. Still, if groove and brutality are your thing, the record delivers plenty.
Polished, Consistent, and Very Much Their Own
It’s easy to see why “YOU LIE” gained so much attention so fast. The production is tight, the aesthetic is dialed in, and the band knows exactly what they’re doing. GAI understands the modern metal formula but doesn’t copy-paste it. Instead, they carve out their own space in the genre, with enough crossover potential to pull in fans from multiple sub-scenes.
And while I leaned more toward the songs with clearer structure and memorable parts, I get why others would gravitate to the breakdown-heavy, momentum-driven ones. It’s a well-balanced record, and it doesn’t overstay its welcome.
Rating: 8/10
