Gorguts — Considered Dead & The Erosion Of Sanity
From Dissonance Productions, here’s a double CD reissue of the first two albums by Canadian Death Metal project Gorguts- 1991’s Considered Dead, and 1993’s The Erosion Of Sanity. The band started a more straightforward DM venture, before later morphing into a more technical, at times avant-garde example of the genre. These two albums chart the beginning of that switch, so they are certainly key/ important albums, not just in the band’s history, but the development of the DM form in general.
The two CDs come presented in a six-panel glossy digipak, and under each CD -we find a reproduction of the original cover artwork for each. Also included is a glossy/ colourful inlay booklet- this features a 2023 nine-and-a-half-page write-up about the band's development/ these two albums by Oliver ‘Zoltar’ Badin, two pages of testimonials from other DM musicians, and a fair selection of pictures of the band, flyers, etc. So, a nicely presented item.
The first disc takes in the band's debut album, Considered Dead. This was first released on the 8th of October 1991 on Roadrunner Records. It was recorded in Tampa’s Morrisound studios by Mr US death metal himself, Scott Burns- with guest vocals on three tracks by Chris Barnes(Cannibal Corpse & Six Feet Under), and a guest guitar on one track by James Murphy ( Death, Obituary, etc). And, yes, the album does have a fairly typical 90’s US DM feel, but the band do add in their own subtle twists and turns to the form- for example, some neat discordant riff touches, moodily effective breakdowns, or higher in the mix bass elements on a few tracks
We move from “Stiff And Cold” which shifts between clamouring speed bursts edged discordant tone flourishers, mid-paced chugs, and doomy thrashes. Onto ghoulish galloping to morbid mid-paced flow of the title track. Though to the hectic bass bounding, drum bashing, and long-to-speeding guttural growls of “Body Corrupted”. Onto chug ‘n’ slug meets bounding gallop of “Inoculated Life”. The original ten-track CD is finished off with demo versions of album tracks. All in all, Considered Dead is a decent 90’s DM album and a worthy debut from the band.
On the second disc, we have the band's second album The Erosion Of Sanity. This originally appeared on the 19th of January 1993, once again on Roadrunner Records. it was recorded in Victor studios in Montreal, Quebec by producer Steve ‘Chopper’ Harris, who had worked with a wide variety of bands/ projects, going from the likes of Fear Factory & Lawnmower Deth, to Natalie Imbruglia and U2. The album is a step into tech DM, with a lot more risks, twists and turns added into the record's eight tracks.
We move from “Condemned To Obscurity” with its moody piano opening that leads into complexly angular & discordant riffing, galloping speed runs, and hissing drum ‘n’ bound bass breakdowns. Onto “A Path Beyond Premonition” which shifts between meaty chugg-outs & speed darts ‘n’ lurches- with some great uneasy/ off-kilter bass line activities weave here and there. Though to “Dormant Misery” which starts with layered & ornate acoustic guitar, before launching into a manic DM workout, which dartling shifts between grim speeding runs, mid-paced angularity ‘n’ chugg, and galloping Trash-outs. The CD is finished off with once again two demo versions of album tracks. As an album The Erosion Of Sanity is a great follow-up release, which shows the band offering up a wonderful, at points quite unpredictable tech death album. Sure, it’s not as avant-garde/ unbalancing as later albums like Obscura or Colored Sands, but there are hints where they might go down the line.
It's great to see these two albums getting a double CD reissue, as the first album was last repressed in 2016, and the second in 2006. If you’re a fan of 90s DM, and when it switches into more challenging tech DM, then this is most certainly something you need to check out.