Decay
(Morbid Chapel Records / Rotten Tomb Records)
35:24min
GUTS is a Finnish Death Metal band that has been active since 2020. Having released a string of singles in 2022, their debut album “Decay” was initially released in 2023, independently through digital format and on CD by Morbid Chapel Records. What “Decay” represents is hard-charging, super-polished modern Death Metal. This is a very riff-forward release that excels and pummels within mid-tempos, much like bands such as GRAVE and BOLT THROWER do. The opener, ‘Bitter’, begins on a huge-sounding palm-muted chugging riff, one that carries throughout the song. There is no introduction or no build-up, it goes straight for the throat right out of the gate. The guitar tone is absolutely huge, full of body with plenty of low-end to really fill the spectrum. ‘Nuclear Genocide’, sustains itself on palm-muted chords during the verses and rolling double-bass accented with single-note tremolo during the choruses. Vocalist Juha Kivimaki produces a purely guttural roar for vocals, reminiscent of the European early 1990s scene. Songs such as ‘Manhunt’ and ‘Galvanistic Reanimation’ are tempered mid-tempo slammers that are full of riffs and changing rhythmic structures, exhibitions of variation showing GUTS multi-faceted approach to composition. Where there is a lack of break-neck speed, there are substitutes for brutality, such as the huge emphasis of downbeats on ‘Galvanistic Reanimation’. ‘Vermin’ really capitalizes on the guitar tone with huge crunching chords making up the construction of the primary riff, ‘Perversion Of Perfection’, takes on a thrashier role thanks to the footwork of drummer Jani Kiiski. ‘Spinebreaker’ and ‘Decay Sermon’ continue the habitual mid-tempo assault, and album closer ‘Night Of The Necromancer’ shows off the guitar atmospherics of the dual assault provided by Jaakko Hentila and Iiro Hustovaara. The production on “Decay” is very polished and modern, fully digital and full spectrum. The guitar tone is absolutely huge, that cannot be understated, so those hungry for riffs will have plenty to feast upon here. The drums are mixed equal to the frontal guitars, creating a fully saturated playback with an emphasis on mids and lows. Overall, a very crushing sound. The band plays tight, well-constructed songs with enough variation to prevent staleness throughout a full-album playback, and many of these songs would translate well in the live environment. If you’re looking for high quality Finnish Death Metal from a new band on the scene, then this is right up your alley. Fans of GRAVE and later BOLT THROWER will have a blast with GUTS. For additional information on GUTS, check out www.facebook.com/gutsbandofficial and for additional information on Morbid Chapel Records, see www.morbidchapelrecords.com.
Andrew Krause