Gutworm - Ruin the Memory
For some reason, Gutworm and I had yet to cross paths before this CD fell through my letterbox. While I was certainly aware of their existence, they were always one of those bands playing at a festival while I was watching someone else (as at Bloodstock 2004) or while I was on the train travelling to the venue. My apathy can be attributed to the fact that I'd read in the scene press that the band was one of British metal's brightest hopes, which always puts me off a bit. I was also under the impression that they were some kind of 'cyber-metal' affair - I think their shiny, metal-effect logo was primarily to blame for this.
Well, finally listening to "Ruin The Memory" has made me resolve not to be such a close-minded, judgmental prick in the future (I'm not saying the resolution will stick, mind...); this isn't some sub par Fear Factory clone optimistically masquerading as the next big thing. Essentially, Gutworm play quality modern death metal - akin to a less blastbeat happy Vader or Decapitated - with heavy shades of metalcore thuggery. Their sound is deliberately synthetic but with little of the artificial smoothness this might suggest; although the drums sound triggered to buggery, they are offset by the harsh and abrasive guitars which buzz and crackle like a wasp's nest in an electrical fire. The overall effect is pleasingly noisy, especially when Neil Hudson's coarse voice switches from guttural bark to venomous screech at the drop of a vocal chord polyp.
This being a debut album, there is still room for improvement. The sporadic clean singing (see track four, 'Obscure Devotion', for example) doesn't really work and strays a little too far into Funeral For A Friend territory. The LP also struggles to maintain the listener's attention for its full 39 minute duration. Gutworm aren't the most extreme or innovative act you'll hear this year, but in a world where the current leading lights of the British scene are insipid boy band 'metallers' Bullet For My Valentine and Fightstar they deserve your attention.
"Ruin The Memory" was actually put out in 2004, but Anticulture Records are giving it another push in the run up to Gutworm's forthcoming second LP. Although I won't exactly be queuing to buy the new album on its day of release, I promise to make more of an effort to catch the band live next time we're in the same town.