Gutslit resumes its carnage.
Created in India in 2007 by Gurdip Singh Narang (bass, Hollow Point), the band, completed by Aaron Pinto (drums, Hollow Point), Aditya Barve (vocals) and Prateek Rajagopal (guitar), announced the release of their third album, Carnal, in 2023.
The album gets off to a heavy start with Son of Sam and its massive riffs emphasizing both violence and catchy groovy sounds, before being joined by powerful vocal parts, sometimes complemented by a few backing vocals. The sound is extremely effective, letting blast drive the accelerations or moshparts, just as on Matriarch, which lets the musicians place more complex, jerky parts before the breaks crush us. Julien Truchan (Benighted, Néfastes) joins the quartet for Bind Torture Kill, a devastating composition whose evocative title strengthens the savage Grindcore influences while remaining anchored in a rather Old School approach, giving the two vocalists total freedom before The Killing Joke lets unhealthy sounds join the rage. Although a quick sampled vocal gives us a moment’s respite, the track doesn’t waste a single second to hit hard with a heavy groove, then Insidious takes over with catchy patterns coupled with cavernous vocal parts. The track is short, and quickly gives way to Body Snatcher, which continuously bludgeons us with thick riffs sometimes coupled with dissonant harmonics, making the sound quite ominous before leads offer a softer part. The rest of the track remains rooted in violence, as well as for Altar of Putridity, which offers a heady approach to start with, complemented later by some much livelier riffs that effortlessly lead us into Primeval and its catchy rhythm. Just when you think the track is over after these cybernetic tones, it offers the band a final wave of ominous sounds to close the album.
We’ve missed Gutslit, and despite a change of vocalist, the band is back in top form to present Carnal, the culmination of their work over the last few years, which never hesitates to hit hard and for real.
80/100
