Loud, raw and brief, Fort Lauderdale’s Gouge Away debuts in impressive fashion on their freshman effort. , Dies, an aggressive female-fronted hardcore punk album marked by blistering riffs, paint-peeling vocals and unapologetically aware lyrics, is a must-hear.
BAND: Gouge Away
ALBUM: , Dies
LABEL: Eighty-Sixed Records
RELEASE DATE: Feb. 13, 2016
GENRE: Hardcore/Punk
RATING: 8.5/10
, Dies is fast. Really fast. Only one song on the 13-track record makes it past the 2:30 mark, but for what it lacks in length, , Dies makes up for in quality. Each song on the album has its own unique qualities and lyrically, the album shies away from nothing, tackling subjects of animal rights, women’s rights and a deep contempt for capitalism and patriarchal society.
Fans of riffs will be fans of Gouge Away. , Dies is overflowing with quick punk riffs and mosh- worthy breakdowns. Songs like “Exhibit: Closed,” “Enough.” and “Uproar” gush with energy, switching naturally from blistering speeds to slower breakdowns without ever tripping on their own momentum.
Christina Stijy fronts Gouge Away, delivering one of the most blistering vocal performances of 2016. The frontwoman wages war on the microphone, each shriek dripping with rage and conviction. “A revolution’s going on whether or not you back it/ So stop fucking talking and for once step back and listen,” Stijy demands on “R.O.T.,” neatly summarizing the album’s themes.
Photo: Nick Zimmer @ FEST
The lyrics don’t waste time or breath on frills or pleasantries. The band says what needs to be said and gets out. Gouge Away’s songs feel written with a live setting in mind, heavy on short sentences and repetition.
The icing on the cake that is , Dies comes in the form of guest features, which the album has no shortage of. Madison Turner delivers a charged verse on “Exhibit: Closed” and Chris Evering calls out corrupt police officers on “No White Flag” (“Another word for ‘unarmed’ is ‘target’ in the mind of a bigot”). Maru Lopez delivers a spoken word interlude in “Until Every Cage is Empty” and Simona Morales (and Lopez again) deliver the album’s cleanest, most melodic moment on closing track “Wildflower.”
Gouge Away issues no apologies and takes no prisoners on , Dies, and that’s why the band’s debut is so impressive. Every element of a great hardcore punk record is present: speed, intensity, unwavering conviction, originality. , Dies is not a light album but it is something much bigger: a great album packed with critical messages.
Best songs: “Exhibit: Closed,” “Uproar,” “Wildflower”
Listen to Gouge Away at: [bandcamp album=BAND: Gouge Away ALBUM: , Dies LABEL: Eighty-Sixed Records RELEASE DATE: Feb. 13, 2016 GENRE: Hardcore/Punk RATING: 8.5/10 Loud, raw and brief, Fort Lauderdale’s Gouge Away debuts in impressive fashion on their freshman effort. , Dies, an aggressive female-fronted hardcore punk album marked by blistering riffs, paint-peeling vocals and unapologetically aware lyrics is a must-hear. , Dies is fast. Really fast. Only one song on the 13-track record makes it past the 2:30 mark, but for what it lacks in length, , Dies makes up for in quality. Each song on the album has its own unique qualities and lyrically, the album shies away from nothing, tackling subjects of animal rights, women’s rights and a deep contempt for capitalism and patriarchal society. Fans of riffs will be fans of Gouge Away. , Dies is overflowing with quick punk riffs and mosh- worthy breakdowns. Songs like “Exhibit: Closed,” “Enough.” and “Uproar” gush with energy, switching naturally from blistering speeds to slower breakdowns without ever tripping on their own momentum. Christina Stijy fronts Gouge Away, delivering one of the most blistering vocal performances of 2016. The frontwoman wages war on the microphone, each shriek dripping with rage and conviction. “A revolution’s going on whether or not you back it/ So stop fucking talking and for once step back and listen,” Stijy demands on “R.O.T.,” neatly summarizing the album’s themes. The lyrics don’t waste time or breath on frills or pleasantries. The band says what needs to be said and gets out. Gouge Away’s songs feel written with a live setting in mind, heavy on short sentences and repetition. The icing on the cake that is , Dies comes in the form of guest features, which the album has no shortage of. Madison Turner delivers a charged verse on “Exhibit: Closed” and Chris Evering calls out corrupt police officers on “No White Flag” (“Another word for ‘unarmed’ is ‘target’ in the mind of a bigot”). Maru Lopez delivers a spoken word interlude in “Until Every Cage is Empty” and Simona Morales (and Lopez again) deliver the album’s cleanest, most melodic moment on closing track “Wildflower.” Gouge Away issues no apologies and takes no prisoners on , Dies, and that’s why the band’s debut is so impressive. Every element of a great hardcore punk record is present: speed, intensity, unwavering conviction, originality. , Dies is not a light album but it is something much bigger: a great album packed with critical messages. Best songs: “Exhibit: Closed,” “Uproar,” “Wildflower”
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