ITP V.014 REVIEW: GORGUTS: COLORED SANDS

BAND: GORGUTS (CANADA)   GENRE: AVANT/TECHNICAL DEATH METAL LABEL: SEASON OF MIST   RELEASE DATE: 8/30/2013
                                                                                                                                                    

PREVIOUS RELEASES (CATALOG) : LIVE IN ROTTERDAM (2006-PRODISC), DEMO ANTHOLOGY (GALY RECORDS-7/2003), FROM WISDOM TO HATE (3/6/2001-OLYMPIC RECORDINGS), OBSCURA (7/23/1998-OLYMPIC RECORDINGS), THE EROSION OF INSANITY (1/19/1993-ROADRUNNER RECORDS), CONSIDERED DEAD (10/8/1991-R/C RECORDS), ...AND THEN COMES LIVIDITY (6/1990-DEMO), DEMO (1989)

BEST RELEASE (S):  OBSCURA (1998), COLORED SANDS (2013),  THE EROSION OF INSANITY (1993)

GORGUTS:  "COLORED SANDS" TRACKLISTING: 
1. Le toit du monde
2. An Ocean of Wisdom
3. Forgotten Arrows
4. Colored Sands
5. The Battle of Chamdo
6. Enemies of Compassion
7. Ember's Voice
8. Absconders
9. Reduced to Silence

ITP RATING: *** 1/2
PRODUCTION: *** 1/2

SONGWRITING: ***

PERFORMANCE: **** 1/2


Canadian avant gard  death metal warriors GORGUTS are pioneers in atmospheric experimentation, "Thinking outside of the Box".

Formed in 1989 in Quebec, Canada, GORGUTS boasted some friends in high places (CHRIS BARNES-CANNIBAL CORPSE, SIX FEET UNDER and JAMES MURPHY DEATH,TESTAMENT mixing and mastering) as guest on the bands label debut. GORGUTS,  having the dubious distinction or honer (depending on your perception) of being dropped by ROADRUNNER RECORDS after the ground breaking release "Erosion of Sanity".

GORGUTS dusted themselves off, and with resiliency and a few mutations, returned with a lineup that boasted SAM MONGRAIN (MARTYR, later CRYPTOPSY) and STEVE MACDONALD releasing classic and influential releases "From Wisdom to Hate" and "Obscura".

GORGUTS came to a crashing halt with the death of drummer STEVE MACDONALD whom committed suicide in 2002 and guitarist STEVE HURDLE whom died of post surgical complications in May of 2012. GORGUTS broke up in 2005.
In 2008, GORGUTS main man LUC LEMAY circulated a demo and reformed the band with ORIGIN, SKINLESS drummer extraordinaire JOHN LONGSTRETH as the band announced a re-union (2008) and inked a  record deal with SEASON OF MIST.

From tragedy to triumph, here we have the long awaited new release from GORGUTS "Colored Sands".

GORGUTS "Colored Sands" kicks off with the track "Le toit du monde",  as the track enters in with powerful MESHUGGAH like riffing and polyrhythms. GORGUTS "Le toit du monde" slows down to a bluesy whisper consolidating into some powerful tech death metal backed by awesome grooves and quality drumming via JOHN LONGSTRETH.

GORGUTS  "Le toit du monde" consolidates some quality technical death metal, performed at blazing speeds (2:39) and in a blink of eye, time signatures change into mind bending jazzy progressive swinging grooves as you might ask "What am I moshing too?". \m/ \m/

GORGUTS  "An Ocean of Wisdom", evokes a powerful  anthem with an underlying subtle melody, odd time signatures, for a dark, doomy and atmospheric appeal as the track closes with an acoustic interlude.

GORGUTS "Forgotten Arrows" consolidates some tech/death metal with doomy textures. In the blink in the eye, GORGUTS "Forgotten Arrows"  (2:20) consolidates brutal doom with odd tine signatures, and awesome musicianship as by now your head should be smashed from banging up against inanimate objects.

The tittle track of GORGUTS "Colored Sands", enters in ambiance, slowly, crawling out of the fox hole into  a dark abyss of heavy hate.  "Colored Sands" picks up the pace (3:31) into more standard and progressive riffing with understated moments (4:00) of subtle melodic riffing consolidated with other worldly time signatures.  

GORGUTS "The Battle of Chamdo", a classically inspired instrumental track, segues perfectly from the title track, with ominous and dramatic violins, a breather in the technical death/doom chaos, and beautiful indeed.

GORGUTS  "Enemies of Compassion" features some unconventional riffing (:30) seguing into some powerful death metal. GORGUTS  "Enemies of Compassion" features some underrated, almost post rock riffing (2:00), however very technical, as one with have to re-wind the track to "get" the concept of consolidating a variety of such sick riffage into odd time signatures...And I love that riff, GORGUTS will re-wind that unconventional riff for you as "Enemies of Compassion" comes to a close (6:35).

GORGUTS  "Ember's Voice", consolidates odd post rock riffing with an awesome tight performance (think ULCERATE, less atmospheric, more brutal and technical) as "out of the box" doesn't begin to describe GORGUTS approach. GORGUTS drummer JOHN LONGSTRETH (2:28) puts on a tight, convincing performance as it is well worth the effort to wrap your head around GORGUTS avant, mind melding death metal.

GORGUTS "Absconders" evokes tight rhythms with minimalistic, post rock down tuned riffing, as indeed the rhythm section has it's way until a bluesy interlude transitions into heavy doom. GORGUTS Godly rhythm section gives way to a melodic transition, repetitive, dissonant, mesmerizing and suffocating.

 GORGUTS "Colored Sands" closes with the track "Reduced to Silence", ambient,  dissonant, light finger picking transitions into a tech death metal slug out. GORGUTS  "Reduced to Silence" breaks down into tribal drumming and spins out of control with some crazy tech death consolidated with some seductive doom, and a cool solo.
\m/ \m/


GORGUTS are provocative, innovative warriors of the unconventional, the rules are, there ARE no rules, as their are no boundaries of musical conventions. GORGUTS weave dark textures of technical death metal with a post rock curve ball of brutal doom, and polyrhythmic time signatures. If any other extreme metal band would dare to dispose of a riff or an idea, GORGUTS would eat the riff, and cook it hot into a dark cauldron of experimentation and run with it. Post rock, prog rock not out of the question, funk guitar, doom atmospherics, GORGUTS have it. GORGUTS experiment with all those ideas, as the straight forward and narrow minded would run in disgust.

While the vocals are the weakest link, a point of reference would be the awe inspiring drum performance of JOHN LONGSTRETH (ORIGIN, SKINLESS) whose challenge to take on GORGUTS unconventional compositions propelled the bands unique musical vision.

 GORGUTS "Colored Sands" shortcoming is all of these wonderously executed ideas don't amount to a cohesive song, as some riffs, while not disposable, are misplaced, as consolidating all those riffs would have ones head spinning. GORGUTS awe inspiring ideas and musicianship don't always equate to something tangible beyond some lofty ambitions.

In all, GORGUTS are the template that experimental extreme metal is built upon, I heard PORTAL and others have been taking notes, and influence.

You should too.

Welcome back GORGUTS.

     
ITP RATING: *** 1/2
PRODUCTION: *** 1/2

SONGWRITING: ***

PERFORMANCE: **** 1/2

Thanks-Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-\m/ -l-