REVIEWS

SINGLE REVIEW: Man As God

“Man As God” is the latest release by solo project Aiwass. Put out earlier this month, the single is by far one of his most substantial pieces. Along with themes of mythology, philosophy, and “the balance between good and evil,” Aiwass’ also touches on things like mental illness and addiction.

According to Blake Carrera (the man behind Aiwass), “Man As God” was a very organic process. He revealed that he often dreams of songs. While he is creating, he runs off his vague memory of that night’s dream. Carrera is also very into occult and Jungian (“a therapy designed to bring together the conscious and unconscious parts of the mind to help a person feel balanced and whole.”). Jungian was a significant inspiration for “Man As God,” a piece about personal growth and “dealing with the sometimes darker side of yourself that can emerge as you grow.”

The single explores a wide range of sounds and feels. The overall outcome felt eerie and almost inhuman; simultaneously, it had a lot of groove. Its guitar riffs sat on a very fine line between metal and full-blown stoner. I immensely enjoyed the song by first listen. Carrera claimed he wanted to ” hit you hard but also be very listenable.” He does just that exactly, making this an addictive listen.

Carrera played the song on a Schecter S-1 Diamond Series, which he explained to have helped him develop a sound he’s been working at since he was a teenager.

“The ideas of the unconscious, the will, and the self are very important to what I’m trying to say both through the music itself and the lyrics. Growth and acceptance of the self are also very important to the message behind the band.”

“Man As God” is a satisfying addition to the Aiwass catalog. I sincerely encourage any rock fan to go and blast the single loud ‘n’ proud.