- Bryon Harris
Go On, Great Immortal – ‘Black Waters Rise’
Go On, Great Immortal is the solo alt-rock project of multi-instrumentalist Gogi Randhawa. Gogi was previously a part of Viasava and Dear Enemy. Recently, Gogi released a debut album titled Flawed. He was responsible for all instruments and vocals on the album. Gogi wrote the album after four years of struggling with self-doubt, difficult subject matter and depression before eventually triumphing. The song “Black Waters Rise” off of the debut is a perfect example of his talent.
The song kicks off with a jamming drum beat that slowly fades in. After a brief pause, it is then joined by a distorted electric guitar riff giving the song an energetic boost leading into the first verse. Entering the first verse, the arrangement softens as Gogi sings, “Keep asking why. You’re doing fine. Don’t change a thing/Their clouds give you shelter. You provide the rain.”
From under the dark waves, Gogi makes a splash with Black Waters Rise. You can hear the emotion in Gogi’s voice as he passionately sings through each line. Layering his voice, Gogi adds high octave harmonies giving a haunting timbre to the melodies. As the arrangement starts to build momentum towards the chorus Gogi sings, “Save your breath. Give Up/You’re wasting your time.”
“Black Waters Rise” is a sarcastic commentary on people who blame others for their problems without self-reflection and taking responsibility. This is shown in the chorus, “(Yeah) Oh you’re gonna make black waters rise/You gotta turn your back on the sun before it gouges out your eyes/(Yeah) Throw away everything you love/You gotta keep believing in nothing/It’s never your fault/They made you who you are, right?” With emotive vocals, memorable melodies and wailing instrumental segments, “Black Waters Rise” is unforgettable.
Go On, Great Immortal is a grand testament to Gogi’s abilities as a solo artist. “Black Waters Rise” is just one shining example from his debut album Flawed. His music is available for purchase on all major digital music retailers. For more information on this stellar solo project, visit his website.