Johnny Goth, The Great Awakening, Album Review

As I start writing this review, it’s 2:07am, and I’m sitting in a pitch black room, which is one of the best settings to listen to Johnny Goth.

Johnny Goth is an artist I discovered a few months ago, and the best way I can describe his music is like walking in a gothic cathedral that’s in the middle of the woods, and it’s a cloudy day in fall. Then there’s like ghost and demons slow dancing in the halls to the sound of low cries of the dead that are somehow calming? Yeah that’s how I receive his music.

Anyways, so yeah Johnny is an interesting music artist and he recently released his album The Great Awakening. Like his other albums it’s quite sinister and grand yet beautiful and calming, and I just want to jump right into this album. We are going track by track, and then I’ll have my overall thoughts of the album at the end. So let’s go.

Track 1: Maybe It’s a Fantasy

The album opens up with “Maybe It’s a Fantasy” and overall it’s a really chilling song. It starts out very calming, but towards the end the instrumental goes a bit berserk and it hit hard. Like it punched me in the gut. Then like any other Johnny Goth song, the lyrics are quite interesting. The very first lines are “Lord, take this world away, What have you done?” and he sings them as light as a feather yet they are so heavy. Those lyrics really soaked me into my dark fantasy. Also this song prepares the listeners for this chilling album that goes into religious themes and questing faith and God mix with romance and end of the world? Honestly I don’t know, I’m just spewing shit based on what I listened to. But I think this is a great opening to the album.

8/10

Track 2: Come Closer to Me

Already onto one of the best songs on the album. Ok first the instrumental? Amazing. Then we have Johnny with his muffled vocals that start out soft but become kind of raspy and filled with desperation, and it’s fucking perfect. I can feel his emotions and it’s so overwhelming in the best way possible. Now onto the lyrics, my favorite lines are “They wanna love you tonight, But when the night goes they will too” and this first time I listened to it I was like, damn. That hurt. Overall I love how grand and chilling and desperate and dark this song is. Definitely my favorite on the album.

10/10

Track 3: Can’t Get You Out of My Head

Next we got “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” and all I have to say is she’s pretty. She’s cute. But I kind of got bored of it... Ok but you see when Johnny dropped this as a single, I listened to it on repeat. I listened it to so much that it kind of lost its shine. I really beat the dead horse honestly. Plus compare to the other songs, it’s not the strongest. I mean it’s good, but yeah definitely lost a bit of it’s sparkle from the first listen.

7.5/10

Track 4: Hit Me Right

“Hit Me Right”. I can’t pin point why I like this song so much. It’s just so sinister yet...sexy? Like I feel I’m being seduced by a vampire or something and he wants my blood. I’m kind of obsessed with this song and it’s so lovely. I feel like the night is hugging me. I know cheesy, but that’s how I feel! Then of course the lyrics, we opened up with “When the blood drips upon your lips, You can check me off your list” and already I want to tattoo that on my forehead. I just love that little visual and it’s sang so sweetly buts it’s actually kind of scary. Speaking of scary, the ending with the gun shot made me jump the first time I listened. I was just getting lost in this daydream and feel like I’m floating then BAM I got shot! Like what the hell Johnny?! I mean I love the gun shot at the end but still I didn’t need to be scared like that smh. But overall a fantastic song.

9/10

Track 5: Who Should It Be?

While listening to “Who Should It Be?” I always imagine The Nightmare Before Christmas for some reason? I don’t know it’s just such a theatrical song that’s cheery yet creepy, and I can imagine Lock, Shock, and Barrel singing this song. Again I don’t know why ok lmao. On to the actual song, she’s very pretty and it’s quite chilling, but it didn’t really stick out to me. It was an ok track musically, but again I adore the lyrics. “Burn everything in your heart make you hollow” I’m obsessed with that line! It’s so enticing and beautiful! The song as a whole though, is ok but not one of my favorites.

7/10

Track 6: Awaken

“Awaken” is an instrumental interlude, and usually I don’t care for interludes. They don’t stick out much, unless it’s like Lana Del Rey or Kali Uchis or The 1975, but that’s just me. But this interlude...it’s fucking fantastic. I mean first we hear some sort of waterfall and birds chirping, then we hear some church bells very faded in the background(unless I’m just losing it) with the organ playing, and then shit goes crazy and people are dying. Like the town is on fire or something and everything is screaming and it’s the end of the world. It’s such a powerful interlude that is very immersive. It’s quite captivating. It said so much with no words and in such a short time. I really love it.

8/10

Track 7: Hallelujah

So here is another banger! First of all, lyrical one of his best songs. I don’t know every song from him, but I just know this is lyrical one of his best. Sure it’s mostly “Run” and “Hallelujah” but it’s one of the best lyrically PERIODT. Anyways onto the song itself, it’s very grand and beautiful. It’s kind of theatrical and just so powerful. Like I feel I need to start running. Where am I running? What am I running from? Who am I running to? I have no clue but I’m gonna run. But yep, one of my favorites. I just love how it makes me feel like I’m being hunted. It’s just so good.

9/10

Track 8: Sanctus Dominae

Now based on my two minutes of research, Sanctus Dominae is Latin for “Holy Woman”? I’m not sure though, but whatever the title is it’s kind of cool. But this song is basically a love letter where he lays out his devotion for his partner in the most romantic yet creepiest way possible. So yeah I adore this song. It’s so calming but kind of sexy? Ok it’s just like a song of seduction to me and it’s very cool and hot and yeah. I like this one a lot.

8/10

Track 9: Resurrection

Ok again lyrical perfection. I mean lines like “Sink into me, my blood will black you out” and “Everything has always been inside of me” are just such enticing and cool lyrics to me. Again it’s creepy as hell, and basically like “yeah there’s no heaven, and I’m reborn and I’m powerful” and ya know. Basically that’s what I got from the song. Also Resurrection is one of the longer tracks on the album, being over 4 minutes, yet felt like 2 seconds. Like I wanted more. That’s how you know a song is good. It’s long but feels hella quick. This is a great song.

9/10

Track 10: Soon As I’m Dead

Now it’s the finale, and honestly I don’t know how to feel. It’s a pretty song, but it’s the least interesting to me. There’s not a lot of meat on the bone that I can chew on. Plus as the ending of this powerful album, and being after Resurrection, I was expecting a much more grander end. Overall it’s ok, and it’s pretty, but yeah there’s not much there for me lyrical or musically.

7/10

What a underwhelming climax to such a great album. I feel like the tracks should’ve been rearranged just a bit, but overall I really enjoyed this album and I’m so glad I got to hear it. It’s so immersive and dark, and beautifully twisted.

The Great Awakening - 8/10

Song ranking:

1. Closer To Me

2. Hit Me Right

3. Hallelujah

4. Resurrection

5. Maybe It’s A Fantasy

6. Sanctus Dominae

7. Awaken

8. Can’t Get You Out Of My Head

9. Who Should It Be?

10. Soon As I’m Dead

Well that’s my thoughts on this enchanting album. Thank you for reading, I appreciate every read and tip I receive! If you like this check out some of my other messy music reviews like Lucy Loone or The Neighbourhood.

Hope you’re having a good day, and if not I hope it becomes a better one.

Bye-Bye!