Playing God was the first single for Polyphia's fourth album, Remember That You Will Die, and it was such a astoundingly elegant track. It marked a change in their sound, most notably with the use of acoustasonic guitars, but also showed them in a very different musical style and genre.
Apparently, the main riff for Playing God was actually shown a long time ago. Tim Henson had posted it as a kind of Instagram throwaway post back in 2019. Hearing it become a full song since then is wild, developing into a flamenco-infused bossa nova-esque instrumental masterpiece.
The only reason I even have any relevant thing to say about this song is because I tried learning it on guitar. The technicality on this song is insane, and that's not hard to say for any Polyphia song, but on this song especially. I didn't think there'd be much out there that could be cooler technically than G.O.A.T., but Playing God boasts a lot of insane math rock-esque composition in the main riff as well as the verses.
The verse has one of the most beautiful guitar lines I've heard, ever. Despite the speed that they're playing, it sounds super pretty and clean, and having tried learning it, I can tell you it's really not easy. I really loved the three strummed chords 35 seconds in, and I also really love Scottie's natural harmonic run 45 seconds in.
The second half of the song takes on a completely different vibe, and it's really cool. It slows down a bit compared to the front half and trades in the elegant intricacy for a funkier, chill sound. It's quite dreamy and more all over the place compared to the first verse, which gives it a completely different feel. The drums and bass are definitely doing their thing, providing the strong foundational soundscape for the two guitarists to play on.
The writing is world-class, that's for sure, and they are absolutely cementing their position at the forefront of guitar playing innovation. Playing God was a mindblowing track to hear when it first came out, and now with the full album out, it still stands out as one of the better, if not the best, track on the record. It's definitely a challenge to play as a guitarist, but I enjoy the sheer innovation and creativity this track has. It's crazy to think this is just one of many masterpieces from Polyphia, but they truly are one of the best bands in all of history.
Rating: 4.5/5
