Gourd - Moldering Aberrations (2019)
Coming at us from Ireland like an
assault on auditory immune systems, the latest EP from the two-piece
of Gourd brings just under half an hour of filthy doom-soaked sludge,
packed into three tracks. Leading off with “Befoulment”, Gourd
insinuate creeping despair under unsteadily rising bass reverb, with
vocal howls bleeding their notes right into the morass of fragmenting
sustain. Treading a rough path through the distortion and growls,
the band finds their way on to “Mycelium”, which finds firmer
footing in a persistent bass undertow while the vocals struggle
through the haze. Broken with a few instances of spoken-word
samples, the dark miasma and hard edges of the feedback form a
compellingly antagonistic vibe, without even a hint of posturing or
pretense behind the attitudes and emotions on display.
Lastly, the title track (the video for
which you'll find at the bottom of this review) brings with it some
of the most traditionally-structured rhythms to be found on the EP,
though they're quickly dropped in favor of the more nebulous rasping
and rumbling bellows. Keening abrasion and dissonance are bent to
the music's purpose, and multiple twists in volume, along with the
song-writing's directions, keep things strange and stimulating. As
short as it is, it makes for a harrowing experience, and one which is
deeply impressive.
~ Gabriel
For Fans Of; Body Void, Endless Floods,
Leechfeast, Lifeless Gaze, Ulver
~
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