Anybody remember British bruisers Gutworm? Active between 1999 and 2010 they released a couple of formidable albums and threw their weight around live on the UK circuit, playing some hefty shows. I just dug out their debut album ‘Ruin The Memory’ from 2004 and the memories indeed came flooding back. The reason for harping on about them now is quite simple as given a name change and a new vocalist formerly of Deadeye and Violation and they are back! It might not be quite the second coming of Christ as the name suggests but be under no uncertain delusion, A War Of Souls… certainly delivers a considerable punch.
Taking off like the clappers ‘Minority Of One’ steams in and rages away with the vocals ranting over the top with a ballast that would reminds a little of Napalm Death. There’s a real bouncy feel to the juddering riff work, one that may have people mentioning that djent word but for me this is a far more deathly and brutal proposition than that and terms like it and metalcore kind of sell things short. There’s no problem headbanging away in fact if you keep it up for the duration of the album you are likely to need some rather strong glue to reattach said appendage. There are all sorts of things cropping up band wise as we continue with this slab of molten fury from the much missed Medulla Nocte to Strapping Young Lad and to have that sort of intensity it’s obvious the band are at the extreme end of things. Massive leaden grooves on ‘Luminosity’ may slow the pace down a bit but the anger and weight is not compromised in the slightest. The vocals are suitably forcible and have no problems bellowing above the rampant spring like bounce of the musicianship. Although not quite going into an industrial clamour the spirit of early Pitchshifter broods suitably over these juggernaut riffs, which is also fine in my books. H+ makes me wonder what the H stands for and if this is the chemical symbol for Heavy as fuck? This flattens things completely and my bones ache just thinking what it would be like walking into a pit as this fury is unleashed. Krysthla definitely strike as a band to be witnessed in that environment and I feel like the job here is only half done until that is managed. I find myself looking at last year’s Bloodstock line up to see if they played but nope, perhaps they should be added this time round then!
A near Godfleshian stomp sees ‘Caged Earth’ pounding with the slow but brutal drum pounds levelling the floor around my speakers and some indignant backing yells bursting out around the lead roars. ‘By Way Of Deception’ has me looking to see who does production duties here as it starts heavily reminiscent of Jim Plotkin’s various outfits. It’s not but was done by the band along with Neil Hudson and certainly has an all consuming powerful sound to it and the more times I play this the more the volume keeps seeming to creep up. With eight numbers clocking in at just under the 40 minute mark it’s been no problems giving this repeated spins either. It doesn’t hang about and has no ounce of spare flesh to it. With tracks like ‘Praise Thee In Flesh’ having the right amount of technicality without becoming overly tech heavy this delivers in all the right ways and on the strength of this I wouldn’t be surprised if the band get a lot more well deserved attention. All hail the new flesh indeed.
(8/10 Pete Woods)
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