Crime Records

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Gorguts - Colored Sands Review



Band: Gorguts
Album: Colored Sands
Rel. Date: August 2013
Label: Seasons Of Mist
Country: Canada

This year the metal community saw new releases by two legendary metal bands, Gorguts and Carcass. I’m focusing on Gorguts on this review currently. Gorguts is back with Colored Sands their first in well over 10 years. Longtime fans of the band will be divided with this new disc, as I’m sure they were with 1988’s Obscura and 2001’s From Wisdom To Hate. Both of which are good solid albums. Although, in parts they seemed like Apple Maps, all over the place with numerous fans lost. Plus die-hard fans are possibly disappointed they haven’t gone back to the Considered Dead or Erosion of Sanity sounds. But as well all know, numerous bands evolve where others stay the same. Obviously I’m not going to be pointing fingers at which ones.

Colored Sands has 9 tracks and weighs in at just over the hour mark. Only track 5, the instrumental, falls in under 5 minutes, rest are 6 minutes and up. Not sure if any other countries had bonus tracks off the top of my head. But feel free to let me know if they did.

Track list is as follows

1. Le Tuit 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

Le Tuit Du Monde starts out the disc with a massive wall of sound, then it slows down to a mid-range part with Luc Lemay whispering some lyrics, then it builds back up to the heaviness, and it alternates between both segments. Most of the following tracks all have similar variations in sound, from the mid-range/mellow parts to the wall of metal. It goes by at a steady constant pace all around. Some call it avant garde tech death or some such nonsense genre. It’s death metal plain and simple.
The production on the album sounds crystal clear, the instruments all have their own place, none of which overpower the others. Luc’s voice is just as impressive as ever, the new members to the band are extremely tight in sound. The Battle of Chamdo (track 5) is the only instrumental on this cd, and it’s mostly cellos, violins. It’s fits in good with the atmosphere on the disc. Kind of reminds me of the old black & white horror movies.

Anyways if you’re looking for something new and different to listen to, I recommend checking it out. I’d give it an 8 out of 10.

- Phil

Website - http://www.gorguts.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/GorgutsOfficial
Twitter - https://twitter.com/GorgutsOfficial

The official video/lyric track for Forgotten Arrows that the band was posting on their Facebook page to promote the album. 


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