ALBUM REVIEW: Gurt - "Skullossus"

By: Andre Almaraz

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 01/05/2017

Label: When Planets Collide

 

This is some quality music that draws from many influences and I feel any metal fan should be able to enjoy it…. possibly even as the soundtrack to their next doom party.

“Skullossus” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Welcome to the Shit Show
2. Gimme the Night, any Day
3. Battlepants
4. Double Barreled Shot-pun
5. The Crotch Wobbler
6. Existance is Pain
7. Broken Heart Heroin Man
8. Meowing at the Fridge
9. John Gar See Ya Later
10. The Balled of Tom Stones and Reg Montagne (Part 1)
11. The Balled of Tom Stones and Reg Montagne (Part 2)

The Review:

Gurt is a four piece metal band from London, UK. Their new full length album is called “Skullossus” and it is set to be released on May 1st, 2017. Gurt is a self proclaimed “party doom” band but based on this album alone (it is all I know of the band), I would have to somewhat disagree with that categorization. While it is true that everyone loves a good party and that this album gives off an air of playfulness and sleaze with its song titles, sound, and lyrics, to my ears, there seems to be only slight traces of doom to be found within this volume of their music. Instead, the sounds I hear on it are more like a mix of Black Breath, Pungent Stench, and Clutch; bands that are not very doomy but bands that most metal heads hold in high regard nonetheless. Subgenre classifications be damned - let’s get down to business…. 

The album opens with a short intro track called “Welcome to the Shit Show,” which consists of a cryptic spoken word message that warns of the end of the human race as we know it over what seems to be some type of warping carnival organ notes setting the stage for what is to follow. Shortly thereafter, the recording kicks off the embarkment with a boot stomper called “Gimme the Night, any Day.” This tune initiates their heavy buzzsaw sound and begins with a sludgy pounding groove before a middle section breakdown gives way to a storm of phasers that eventually leads us to a flurry of tortured screams and grim chords which sound like they could have been pulled right from a classic Swedish death metal album. This is a great, no nonsense opener to get the album rolling off to a good start. 

Third track, “Battlepants,” is a rock solid death march loaded with nothing but slam, stomp, and pound, that will pulverize your speakers in a militarized procession for the entire duration of the song. Some eerie and haunting background vocals in the post-chorus part are a very nice touch and give the song that little extra something to show us that Gurt is not just another one-dimensional, ugly face. Fourth song, “Double Barreled Shot-pun,” is another stone-faced groover of classic rock and roll revolutionary riffs. This one, however, has a bit more of a bouncy 80s crossover feel. Being a child of the 80s myself, the song quickly got my blood pumping and my feet tapping with its permeating rhythm. The fifth track, “The Crotch Wobbler,” has a sexy and seductive saunter to it. It is chock full of big stoner rock riffs and I can definitely hear this one being played at numerous strip clubs in the Southern and Midwestern United States as some freckled farmer’s daughter butters your corn cob amidst a back drop of soiled Confederate flags.

Sixth track, “Existence is Pain,” is a playful little instrumental number, almost Primus-like in its funk and silliness. It also comes complete with a cameo appearance by none other than MTV stars, Beavis and Butt-Head to end the song. The track may seem a bit out of place, stuck in the middle of all these heavy ragers but fuck it - this is art and the artist is free to express themselves any way they choose. I salute the band for flying their freak flag high and letting everyone know that they don’t take themselves too seriously. Honestly, to me it’s a breath of fresh air in today’s modern metal climate, especially for a band this heavy. Rolling right along to the seventh track; “Broken Heart Heroin Man,” is a raging, straightforward punk blast that will blow your hat off as it stays in high gear energy for the entire eighty-three seconds of its duration. “Meowing at the Fridge” is a thick and chunky, slow to mid-tempo chugger. The vocalist really gets guttural on this one as he croaks, bellows, and screams his way through almost the entire four minutes of the song.  “John Gar See Ya Later” is another straightforward riff rocker with an extremely catchy chorus which I found myself inadvertently humming after the first listen. Its dominating chorus coupled with a funky and psychedelic middle section featuring some tasteful soloing by both guitar and saxophone making this one a unique and interesting stand out track of the album for me. Tenth track, “The Balled of Tom Stones and Reg Montagne (Pt. 1),” is where we finally get the doom side out of Gurt; death-doom to be more exact. The song is suffocatingly heavy with moroseness, and serves as another nod to classic Swedish death metal.

The closing track, “The Balled of Tom Stones and Reg Montagne (Pt. 2),” consists of little more than some faint gypsy music set to a background of howling winds and is an interesting way to bring the album to a close. It is the final brick in the shit house and brings to light yet another side of the band’s many faces. Although the heart and soul of “Skullossus” proves to be straightforward, lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek, rocking songs, the band also has many other distinctive sounds and quite a bit of depth when they feel like showing it off to us. Many fragmented bits and pieces of death metal, doom, punk, sludge, thrash, stoner, and funk also make their way into the album’s well rounded repertoire. I really enjoyed “Skullossus” and although many others may already be familiar with Gurt as they’ve apparently been touring and releasing material for the past seven years, I was not previously familiar with the band and I’m glad I was given the chance to review their newest offering and become enlightened. This is some quality music that draws from many influences and I feel any metal fan should be able to enjoy it…. possibly even as the soundtrack to their next doom party.

“Skullossus” is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Trap Them - "Crown Feral"

By: Conor O’Dea

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 23/09/2016

Label: Prosthetic Records

...the tracks that are strong, like “Hellionaires” and “Revival Spines” in particular, really need to be considered the best stuff Trap Them has ever written. And while opening track “Kindred Dirt” didn't immerse me in the album in the way I'd hoped, by the time we reach “Twitching in the Auras”, there can be no doubt that Trap Them have made a definitive and impressive move forward on all fronts.  The sound is overall excellent. Lyrics are angry and powerful and riffs are deep and plentiful. Strongly recommend, and an excellent reason to continue to follow this excellent band closely.

‘Crown Feral CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). “Kindred Dirt”
2). “Hellionaires”
3). “Prodigala”
4). “Luster Pendulums”
5). “Malengines Here, Where They Should Be”
6). “Speak Nigh”
7). “Twitching In The Auras”
8). “Revival Spines”
9). “Stray Of The Tongue”
10). “Phantom Air”

The Review:

There's an overvaluation of novelty and groundbreaking composition in music criticism, and metal reviewers in particular seem prone to this unfortunate default. While the avoidance of derivative work is obviously important, music is always composed with historicity and within a continuum; 'truly new' would de facto be unrecognizable as music, let alone as an example of a genre. Trap Them do not fall into the category of relentless reinvention nor of mind-shattering novelty, but what they have done, persistently and doggedly, is carefully reinvent their sound, reconsidering both paths they have already crossed and staking out roads they wish to follow. “Crown Feral” represents a substantial and strong instance of that continued process of reinvention. While not necessarily a pinnacle moment for the band, the album is an important and recognizable evolution of sound.

By my measure, Trap Them's identity as a band first coalesced in “Darker Handcraft”. While “Sleepwell Deconstructor” and “Seizures” both clearly set the belligerent tone and forceful energy of the group, it's really with their third full-length that we see a concrete approach and sound emerge. “..Handcraft” is solid, angry and driving, deeply rooted in crust and grind subgenre inspirations, but bringing that HM-2 sound to the fore that sets the band apart from its peers.  While 2014's “Blissfucker” has taken a shit load of criticism as a misstep, it represents some serious revamping, experimenting and rethinking by the band. Successful? Not always, but definitely commendable and a reminder to the hesitant that sometimes breaking something down allows it to be better rebuilt. Which brings us to “Crown Feral”.

“Crown Feral” is not just a good course correction for some of the experiments that didn't really work on “Blissfucker”, but one that manages to push the band beyond the earlier sound of “Darker Handcraft”. Some 'duller' moments, but fuck, the tracks that are strong, like “Hellionaires” and “Revival Spines” in particular, really need to be considered the best stuff Trap Them has ever written. And while opening track “Kindred Dirt” didn't immerse me in the album in the way I'd hoped, by the time we reach “Twitching in the Auras”, there can be no doubt that Trap Them have made a definitive and impressive move forward on all fronts.

Originally when drafting this review , my sense was that it was a strong, slightly uneven album in which the unevenness comes mainly from the fact that some songs are in the 'pretty good' range while the best tracks hit mind=blown level of just excellent. Upon reflection, what I think I am hearing is a band that is still growing and developing and hasn't quite settled into this more mature evolution; a collection of good and great songs that doesn't quite meet the mark of an excellent album.

Production is a bit brickwalled, and can get tiring, but the sound is overall excellent. Lyrics are angry and powerful and riffs are deep and plentiful. Strongly recommend, and an excellent reason to continue to follow this excellent band closely.

‘Crown Feral is available here

Band info: bandcamp|| facebook

RIYL: Black Breath, Nails, The Secret, Rotten Sound

THE SLUDGELORD PRESENTS: "Thanatos" by Germanic misanthropic ragers Implore

 

Today, on the 11^th day of September, two thousand and sixteen, Implore unleash their new EP “Thanatos”.  Appropriately named after the Greek mythological demon, who was said to be the personification of the death, Implore have created 5 new tracks which are every bit as extreme and vitriolic as we’ve come to expect from these Germanic berserkers.

 

Petro Manel sheds some light upon this release

 

“Thanatos” is like a deep breath of fresh air for Implore's sound. It keeps the essence of the brutality in “Depopulation” adding some new details that bring the songs to a new level. The five tracks in this new EP are full of anger and hate, experimenting with new structures, riffs, and vocal lines, keeping the straight-to-the-point philosophy that makes this new 7" a short and intense one”.

 

So if you’re a fan of Napalm Death, Nasum and Black Breath, you will not want to miss this release via Wooaaargh and Grind Promotion Records  which you can order here. If you need further persuasion check out this blistering release in full with today’s exclusive stream below





Band info: facebook || bandcamp

SONG PREMIERE: "Disgrace" by Implore

Implore has toured restlessly since the release of their first LP “Depopulation” review here (Pelagic Records 2015) with more than 100 shows performed in Europe and Russia increasing this trios reputation and making the underground scene sit up and take notice

On September 11th, Implore will release a new 7” called “Thanatos”, named after the Greek mythology demon, which is the personification of the death. In addition before the end of the year, the band will tour South America for the very first time, visiting Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile and Ecuador. A month long tour that will undoubtedly help increase their followers with South America having  one of the most loyal and passionate audiences in the world.

New guitar player Petro Manel commented upon their forthcoming release

“Thanatos is like a deep breath of fresh air for Implore's sound. It keeps the essence of the brutality in “Depopulation” adding some new details that bring the songs to a new level. The five tracks in this new EP are full of anger and hate, experimenting with new structures, riffs, and vocal lines, keeping the straight-to-the-point philosophy that makes this new 7" a short and intense one”.

So if you’re a fan of Napalm Death, Nasum, Black Breath, you will certainly not wanna miss this release via Wooaaargh which you can preorder here.  You can also check out the track “Disgrace” which are streaming in full below

Band info: facebook || bandcamp