Artist: Gacys Threads
Title: The Ignorance of Purity
Type: EP
Label: Savour Your Scene Records
Belfast bruisers Gacys Threads is a new proposition to me and I will be investing in their entire back catalogue after hearing this absolute beast of an EP which is the bands third. This mixes up extreme metal and hardcore in equally savage and ferocious doses.
The relatively sweet opening title track drifts lazily along with gentle drums and guitar work just before a glass gargling vocal barrage comes through. Once over the song swings into the rampaging assault of “Weight Of The Wretched” which has elements of sadistic Converge style guitar work, being maniacally played but highly accessible and melodic. The blast is as violent as any grindcore I’ve heard; sounds like the guy is beating your skull with a drumstick covered in nails. The vocals are venomously spat out as the tune veers into virtual noise core realm which for me makes this song that much more feral than it already is. “Hope Bleeds Into Despair” is fucking immense plain and simple. The opening snare roll is quickly accompanied by a colossal beat that would give any death metal or grind band a run for its money. The song shifts tangentially from utter rabidity to drifting guitar textures in a wink. The schizophrenic way the song jumps around is hypnotic as each part is boosted by one catchy riff after another. Astounding tune.
A post hardcore stance is immediate on “Blackheart” with the distorted guitar inflections saturating a song already bursting at the seams with riffing ingenuity. The alternating speeding up and slowing down has the effect of screwing with your mind especially with the bombardment of riffs that are just relentless. I adored the cymbal smash and accompanying riff, it just works so well especially with sludge ending. Closing song “To The Death” (no it’s not a Voivod cover), also has Converge splattered on it, but to say it is cloning said US nutters would be false.
Gacys Threads have a niche all to themselves, one that uses riffs measured on a tonnage scale and I’d even say the song has death metal qualities which the band may not agree with but the way the song pulverises in the rhythm section is utterly devastating. Again the cymbal insertions work great and are followed by groove laden riffs and a psychotic intensity that saturates this EP. Extreme metal fans should have a listen to this band as they merge raging hardcore and metal into something that really is quite different and unique.
(9/10 Martin Harris)
02/02/2012 at 2:25 pm
Blew away by this review, thanks so much guys!
It’s great to see people having a good ear for the more off the wall, obscure sounds in metal and hardcore.