Gurt’s ‘Satan, etc.’ release from 2024 showcased a band who were unafraid of coupling absolutely devastating riffs with a sense of fun. Unlike some of their more frivolous forebears, however, the bulk of Gurt’s best material didn’t rely on being a novelty – it could be enjoyed purely on face value, and through the greatness of its arrangements. Two years on, the self-proclaimed “party doom” outfit’s ‘Survival of The Shittest’ EP works a similar trick. A huge sense of force can be heard driving almost every riff – heavy enough to crush skulls, yet still accessible in a way that might attract the less committed doom fan.
Wasting no time in bringing the ultimate in a user-friendly heaviness, ‘Live Nation, Dead Scene’ points the finger at the music world’s corporate side with the help of a riff that crushes like an Allfather classic, reworked through a swaggering arrangement, and with the help of a gravel-toned vocal, ends up sounding like Lamb of God colliding with Conan. Things start with a genuinely heavy intent, then move into even heavier climes once the metallic vocal transitions into something even more guttural, bringing a hardcore stance to the track. Even with an extreme voice delivering the message, it’s a performance that holds itself proudly, with enough fantastic riffing to appeal to those who aren’t entirely doom obsessed.
With the aid of a bass sound that borrows from classic hardcore contrasted by more of trad metal riff, the title cut is far more accessible. On its slower moments, it’s not shy in showcasing Gurt’s relentless groove; when things speed up, you’ll find a return of hardcore influences reworked brilliantly for a metal-centric crowd. Between these two huge musical factors, the tune would more than hold its own, but its with a devastating middle eight where an even heavier riff arrives, – punctuated by stops – that the band begin to really impress, sharing an uncompromisingly weighty sound that potentially runs rings around even the best moments of ‘Satan, etc.’ If proof were ever needed, it’s with moments such as this, that – despite this number’s given moniker – that Gurt should be considered serious musicians.
Then, in a final act of defiance, this EP turns that theory on its head with its final cut. The band have taken the 2 Unlimited hit ‘No Limit’ and given it an extreme makeover. In true Gurt style, the arrangement mixes dirty riffs with heavy drones, throws in an extreme metal vocal and a contrasting hardcore punk rasp, and has created something that sounds like the weird love child of Andrew WK and Evil Scarecrow for all of your twisted party needs. For those who were in their twenties back in the early 90s, this is likely to awaken old memories of the 2 Unlimited single, of its unwelcome omnipresence, and of young metal fans bouncing around gleefully exclaiming “no no, no no no-no, there’s no lyrics!’ as if that were the pinnacle of hilarity. As covers go, this never asked to be born, and in some ways it shouldn’t work, but it really does. Those metal fans – at this point, in their fifties – can now claim it for their own, should they so desire. If nothing else, it gives this EP something that’s immediately familiar and memorable, and it acts as a brilliant showcase for Gurt’s irreverent humour.
Three songs and approximately ten minutes: that’s all that’s needed for Gurt to make an impact here…and then some. ‘Survival…’ is a short but intensely powerful statement from one of the UK’s most impressive underground metal acts, providing enough clout to tide fans over, and to jolt the unfamiliar in a way that’ll make them take note. It almost feels as if it’s over as soon as it’s begun, but this is still a recommended listen.
May 2026