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"“A Life Of Suffering” is a brutal record with a great deal of quality, which would have deserved more variety... We can't wait for the sequel, which will mark the (real) return of Gurkkhas!"
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3/5
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Gurkkhas is a brutal death band born in the late 1990s from the ashes of hardcore punk outfit Delayed Action Bomb. After a few personnel changes, the band stabilized around the trio of Jean-François Rey on vocals, Richard de Castro on guitar and bass and Joël Lachevre on drums. Both the name and the concept are inspired by the Gurkhas, British and Indian armed units renowned for their bravery and loyalty. The band's music is brutal death in the tradition of Obituary and Morbid Angel. The trio released their first album at the dawn of the 2000s (“Engraved in Blood, Flesh and Souls”), quickly followed by a second (“A Life of Suffering”) which confirmed the band's brutality. Suddenly there was silence, an abrupt fall at the height of the band's success, and then nothing for twenty years. But the never-despairing musicians gathered their forces and released a new version of their second album, “A Life Of Suffering”, to once again spread their uncompromising violence.
The cruel, aggressive songs offer just the right dose of violence without lapsing into caricature ('Born On a Day of War'). The vocals, as cavernous as they are aggressive, are reminiscent of Pestilence or Suffocation, the drums lay down a carpet of crushing double pedals, while the guitar distils percussive riffs. The tracks feature a few rare variations, rhythmic breaks ('A Life Of Suffering') that we'd have hoped for more of, or passages with a heavy ambience shrouded in icy layers, sound effects or strange melodic phrases coloring the leaden riffs ('Kukri'). The band's rhythmic foundation is impeccable, and their riffing skills are on full display, but the album could have done with a little more variety...
The reissue of “A Life Of Suffering”, released twenty years ago, is a good idea to re-launch a band's dynamic, especially when the record possesses qualities and radiates crazy energy. However, we'd like to sound a slight note of caution: while the individual songs are good, the album as a whole gives the impression of being too straightforward. Let's hope that the forthcoming album fills this gap, confirms the band's potential and finally signals their return to prominence. - Official website
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TRACK LISTING:
01. Born On a Day of War - 3:41
02. Tears of Blood - 5:40
03. A Life of Suffering - 4:04
04. Kukri - 7:13
05. The Day of the Battle - 3:11
06. Legacy - 3:47
07. If I Should Die - 3:43
08. Chronicles of Chaos - 5:10
LINEUP:
Jean François Rey: Chant
Nicolas Hamond: Batterie
Romain Bellec: Guitares
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3/5 (1 view(s))
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