Track of the Day: Pick Up Goliath – Hope Is A Hell Of A Drug (2026)
Described as “a storyteller with the power of a demolition crew”, singer-songwriter Sam George brings a sense of organised chaos to the world as Pick Up Goliath. The thing is, while his music spans the realm of hard rock and metal, the Spanish artist wasn’t always a rocker. Beginning in the world of classical music, his early years were spent playing violin and clarinet in orchestras – an experience that George says, “laid the foundation for a deep love of music that would shape the rest of my life.” Today, we take a look and listen to his most recent single, ‘Hope Is A Hell Of A Drug’.
One of the tracks on his upcoming EP, Salt & Static, which looks at the issue of men’s mental health, ‘Hope Is A Hell Of A Drug’ taps into how hope itself can become addictive. Pick Up Goliath explains: “The track explores the cyclical nature of depression, specifically the idea that hope itself can become addictive. That repeated pattern of believing things will change, holding onto it, and then crashing when they don’t…”
Self-produced by Pick Up Goliath, ‘Hope Is A Hell Of A Drug’ is a 6-minute rollercoaster ride through the world of metal music. Opening with a soothing haunting of melodic metal, you are lulled into a type of comfortable fog; then the thrashing drums and scorching guitars hit you between the eyes. Bold, brash and abrasive, a melding of heavy metal slices across while the vocals lean in the direction of 90s nu-metal; then another swerve as a Spanish flavour soothes the tune in synth-driven layers. Hit a chilled-out, classical piano to calm the nerves, before that flux of nu-metal beats down again, sending you swerving, swirling and lost in the kaleidoscopic music.
One aspect I find particularly intriguing is how this tempestuous storm is contemporary insanity, but an odd classical cage binds everything so you are rocked about as the intricate invisible structures keep you from free-falling all over the place. The ending is abrupt – a mere scream – but it seems to align with the theme of how hope can be hell. A symphonic triumph, the track’s melding of heavy melody and intricate, fragile lyricism pushes you out of your comfort zone, but in a good way.
In addition to the single, Pick Up Goliath released an official lyric video for ‘Hope Is A Hell Of A Drug’. You can view the video below and/or on his YouTube channel. Please note that this video uses lighting effects that can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is strongly advised.
VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED
Find out more about Pick Up Goliath on his official website, Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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