Gurt - D.I.Y.M.C.A.

Gurt

D.I.Y.M.C.A.

by Danny Sanderson at 01 June 2015, 4:59 PM

As far as the UK Sludge scene goes, London based GURT are easily one of this countries rising stars. They've been a pretty solid presence on the live circuit, and are never far out of earshot for fans of all music that is slow, heavy and powerful. They've matched their impressive live presence with an equally impressive track record for putting out plenty of consistently great material on a regular basis. They are showing absolutely no signs of slowing down either, a fact that their latest EP, "D.I.Y.M.C.A", illustrates perfectly.

Opener "8 Out of 10 Cunts" is an impressive song to start this EP with. It's got everything you want from a Sludge band; catchy, groove-laden riffs, a thick, tar-like guitar tone and some pretty ferocious vocals, and equally powerful drumming. This track definitely helps to set the bar high for the other songs on this EP. The bass line that marks the beginning of the next track, "Scrump", sounds fantastic, and once the other instruments kick in, the song slides forward at a relative crawl, and is absolutely made by the potent and gnarly riffs that make up this track. The guitar lines are cool, bluesy and sound amazing. "Scornmower" sounds very good. It's a faster track, with some more awesome and vicious riffs and cool drumming, all topped by the acidic rasp of the vocals. It's a really good way to bring this EP to a climax set the listener up for the final track. That final song is a cover of "Baggy Trousers" by English Ska legends MADNESS. As a fan of MADNESS, it's really cool to hear this classic song with new ears, and it's even better to see that it translates well to being a Sludge track. It's a great way to end this equally great EP.

This is a fantastic release, and it showcases the talents of a band that are on top of their game. It's a shame this was only an EP, because by the end, I was left wanting to hear even more music like this. I can safely assume that the only way for these guys is up. Whatever comes next for this band, it's likely to catapult them to much wider attention and give their music the attention it certainly deserve. This is something that's worth listening to if you love Sludge and want to hear some awesome music.