GORGUTS

It's out now...well, not legally. And yes, I reserved a copy beforehand. I don't even know where to begin with this because there is so much going on with it, yet I can bravely journey through the entire album. I will say that there is no mistaking it for anyone else. This is fucking Gorguts, and the 12 year gap between albums is not at all apparent in this. For a comeback album, it sounds seasoned, meticulous, wildly chaotic, but opposite that; ethereal, organic and fresh.

Lemay's voice (although kind of muffled in parts) sounds like a beast.  Hufnagel, Marston, and Longstreth are a dream team of a band to back him and they deliver in every way. I was fortunate enough to hear a 5-6 minute teaser of riffs and parts from them a couple years prior when they officially reformed and were showcasing themselves for shows and a potential label. What I remember was that the riff that started the teaser is the same that starts the song "Le Toit De Monde". And from there it's just a game of "I heard that one!" and "Oh this sounds new!". But, back to reviewing, the riffs themselves are what make this Gorguts. Dissonant, yet memorable. Leads that sound like howls of spirits. Breaks that sound like pure malevolence, plus harmonics and phases that are almost dreamlike. Picking favorite tracks from this is a bit of a pain since they can all stand on their own, but if you put a gun to my head the biggest standout is the 9 minute "Absconders" that is nothing short of flooring towards the end of the album. There's a part in where I swear they channel Times Of Grace-era Neurosis on it and pummel out riffs with jaw-dropping emotion and force.  The cover art subtly reflects the "Mandala" theme Lemay was going for when talking about the concept. And although it reminds me a bit of a particular icon in the Obscura artwork (the skull with maze to be exact), it does not diminish the theme at all.

Overall, a stellar return to form for the band. With the recent announcement of them playing a few scattered shows throughout the U.S. in the fall and an appearance at MDF 2014, I look forward to seeing them live (hopefully) and, if I do, I want to give Luc a huge bro hug. This guy is such a top notch gentleman for this: A thank you vid for just WAITING to hear the album.

SYSTEM_RESTORE.EXE

Needed to.