Gurt ‘You Ain’t From Around These Parts?’ CDEP/DD 2012

Ever since Eyehategod came lurching from the Louisiana swamps in the early 90’s with their elephantine mix of grimy Sabbath styled riffs, pig-squealing feedback and larynx shredding hardcore vocals, it seems a million bands have decided to follow suit with varying degrees of success but minimal degrees of originality and style. Why then should we pay more than scant attention to Gurt?

Well, Gurt deliver their particular brand of sludged out rock with broader brush strokes than many of their peers. For starters, musically these guys have less reliance on drawn out, subsonic grind than most of the field and draw as much from the best of the stoner pack with a hefty nod towards the classic rock bands of the 70’s. That’s not to say they sacrifice any of the heaviness of sludge but it’s delivered with more of a bounce and a cocky bluesy swagger, particularly on the title track which swings along on an almost boogie-ish riff and features some tasty lead licks thrown in for good measure.

The fantastically titled “Inverted Pill Willy (Wollop)” is a more diverse affair…more diverse than its predecessor and certainly more diverse than many of their peers, as it pushes along on a punky riff that alternately gives way to grinding doom and brief moments of delicate cleanliness (though certainly not Godliness!!!). Vocals throughout are what you may expect from any worthy sludge practitioner…and lung ripping shriek/growl that somehow manages to sit well alongside Gurt’s musical grooves and sits just right in the mix to allow the music to shine whilst adding just the right layer of filth to the proceedings.

Although featuring three tracks this is, ostensibly a two track affair as opener “(pre)verted” is a minute or so of low level noise, and as a result is sadly all too brief. Gurt have enough going on in their sound to easily hold the interest throughout a full length. Fortunately this isn’t the first Gurt release and I’m damn sure it won’t be the last so there is plenty of other stuff out there to be floating your boats…albeit on some pretty murky waters. The UK has a new crown prince of sludge!!!

Label: Self Released
Website: www.gurt.co.uk

Scribed by: Ollie Stygall