Review: Gurt ‘Satan Etc’
If you are into sludge metal, Gurt is one of those bands that everybody agrees on: these lads are downright stupid! You know it’s dumb, you probably shouldn’t be listening to it in public, but you will listen to anything they do and go to see them whenever you play in your neck of the woods. The London sludge scene is definitely more colourful and fun with them in it, and Satan Etc, their latest misdeed, is there to remind you who they are and why you love them so much. But this time, there are less dinosaurs and a little less devil’s lettuce, but more, more nasty gut-wrenching riffs.
From the very start, you can tell that they are taking a more death-like approach to their self-professed ‘party doom’ sound, leaving behind the stoner sonorities of their humble beginnings – is there anything humble about Gurt? No, and that’s why we love them. But it is impeccable sludge metal regardless, sounding at times like something I’d love established Nola bands to sound like – yeah, I’m talking to you Kirk Windstein and Pepper J. Keenan – like in the scrumptious combo of In For A Penny, In For A Pounding and Appetite For Construction.
Gareth Kelly (vocals) has never sounded better than on this album – not that there was a dip in quality, it’s just their first album in about five years, so there was a lot of anticipation for this one. More guttural than ever, Kelly takes his vocal prowess to new horizons, and we are SO HERE FOR IT! At least I am, but again, I like to watch people on the internet ripping Big Ed from 90 Day Fiancé new holes, so take it as it is, a humble opinion.
Songs like Knife Fever and Ennui Go! are perfectly calibrated for live endeavours, because it’s way too catchy to simply belong in your Bandcamp or Spotify playlist. Gurt loves to incorporate below-the-belt humour (Sandworm Fleshlight, or how to take a funny meme and turn it into a fucking amazing tune to giggle and headbang to – at this point, game recognises game) into their insanely fun riffs and, somehow, you can hear it in Satan Etc that they had an absolute belting time writing and recording it, which makes us, the casual listeners and the fans, even more prompt to love them as the musicians they are.
Gurt aren’t afraid to take elements of hardcore, sludge and doom to make something that sounds fresh, enticing and also, as previously mentioned, downright stupid…
If you’re into big riffs, Rich Williams (guitar) will give you what you want with tracks like Doi Of The Doid and Exit As You Enter. If your focus goes primarily into the rhythm section, do not despair, because Bill Jacobs (drums) and Dave Blakemore (bass) will rock your crusty socks off with the Sabbathy Electric Brown and The Most Dying Way To Die. There were so many moments where I had to re-listen to part of a song because I didn’t know which onomatopoeia Kelly would go on about, ‘Wah Wow Wah Wah Wow’ on Electric Brown being a perfect example.
Satan Etc is such a brilliant album because the lads of Gurt aren’t afraid to take elements of hardcore, sludge and doom to make something that sounds fresh, enticing and also, as previously mentioned, downright stupid. So there are no excuses whatsoever for you to not grab a copy of Satan Etc or get to stream, download or just listen to this album, because me thinks it will be the feel good hit of the summer… or whatever season England is in right now.
And for my parting words, I would just like to address my deepest sympathies and infinite love to the remaining members of Sedulus – Rich’s other band – for the loss of their drummer last May, Mithun Shah, who was a longstanding supporter of the London stoner and sludge scene and whom I crossed paths at multiple Gurt shows. May he blast beats with the greatest wherever he is.
Label: When Planets Collide
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Twitter | Instagram
Scribed by: Nessie Spencer
