Labels: Southern Lord
Review by: Alex Deller
This one’s ok enough. Solid if rather routine modern hardcore that takes its cues from Trap Them, Cursed, All Pigs Must Die and all the rest of ’em. A gooey, lumpy, whisked-up batter that’s equal parts Converge, His Hero Is Gone and From Ashes Rise, basically. A style that seems easy enough to accomplish but not in a manner that necessarily excites. Gust at least have a greater emphasis on developing big, hulking riffs than many of their peers, rattling these off rather than going for flat-out speed or twiddly showmanship. They also utilise some effective slide motifs which add atmosphere, and ‘Restless Hands’ has a cool, looming bass n’ vox intro that I can certainly get behind. It doesn’t always work, though. ‘Reality Choke’ has this farcical bounciness to it that sounds like a neo crust band covering Coal Chamber, while elsewhere interest starts to wane as the bludgeon manifests itself in all-too-familiar forms. Not the best and not the worst, then. Strictly in the middle, and playing it safe despite all the ruddy racket.