One-person groups are not uncommon in metal, but the majority of them play either atmospheric black metal or drone-doom. Philadelphia's Matt Garfield shirked that trend when he started Mose Giganticus in 1999 as a synthpunk outfit. The project only started gaining momentum in 2005, but it was worth the wait. Debut album The Invisible Hand the follow-up EP Commander! showed a lot of promise for Garfield, eventually leading to a contract with Relapse Records. The sophomore full-length album Gift Horse came out on July 20th, displaying a much heavier sound alongside intelligent, concept-based lyrics. Mose Giganticus (which includes touring members Kylewilliam Campol on guitar and Dan Eppihimer on drums) has the catchiness of Fu Manchu and Murder 1 combined with the heavy groove of The Sword and Seemless, with a dash of tasteful synth effects added to the mix. "The Left Path" shows off the band's style perfectly, while illustrating their memory of their roots playing basement shows and house parties. — Chris Colgan
