Album Review: Gurt – Satan Etc. (Self Released)

It’s been five long years since “party doom” riff merchants Gurt released their last crushing opus ‘Bongs of Praise’, now on June 7th, 2024, they are set to return with their latest, crushing-ist opus yet, ‘Satan Etc’.

A lot of fun can be had within the company of Gurt, but don’t let that fool you into believing they don’t know how to deliver compelling blasts of heaviness. It might have been a while since we’ve heard from them, but they’re as rambunctious as ever on this brand-new album.

Are you ready for new Gurt? If you’re not, tough, because they’re not hanging around. Unleashing a barrage of filthy riffing, tectonic drums, and scathing vocals with the groovy opener The Most Dying Way to Die and the severe Knife Fever. Gurt doing Gurt things, in the most enjoyable way possible.

It’s an album that will make you feel ‘gurty’ all over, especially when noisy doom buggers like In for A Penny, In for A Pounding come around. The guitars here will make your teeth ache, and the vocals will make your knees quiver. Then there is the crashing and smashing smorgasbord of garish heavy that Appetite for Construction offers up. The way in which this track gets super-trippy too makes it even more memorable.

Following that banger, Gurt go wild with the nasty sound of Doi of the Doid, a track that can be summed simply as aural intensity. Whereas Ennui Go is monumentally doomy. It does have tempo shifts that inject vitality, but the overarching vibe of this track is slow moving obliteration. Before Exit as you enter demands you move your ass to some virulent and vibrant groove. An easy request to adhere to as it’s a manic listen with a wacky edge.

Just Gurt doing Gurt things, and it’s always fun to hear them offer some progressive creativity too. Something that is even more prominent on the penultimate track, Sandworm Fleshlight. Like a more aggressive, grimier, and sillier version of Faith No More. It’s a sensational listen.

Which applies to the whole album, and certainly what Gurt bring with the finale of Electric Brown. Groovy as all hell, it’s the kind of ending that you try to dance sexily to, until you realise, you’re listening to Gurt and the others in the pit are looking at you like you’re mad. Who cares though, you be you, and that’s certainly something Gurt, this track, and this album encourage.

They’re back, and sounding as great as ever.

Gurt – Satan Etc. Track Listing:

1. The Most Dying Way to Die
2. Knife Fever
3. In for A Penny, In for A Pounding
4. Appetite for Construction
5. Doi of the Doid
6. Ennui Go
7. Exit as you enter
8. Sandworm Fleshlight
9. Electric Brown

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