Band....................................Guterskull
Album..................................Chthonian Moribund Sovereign
Year.....................................2024
Genre..................................d-beat punk raw black metal
Format.................................tape
Country................................Croatia
if you try to count every single one-man band/project by this living legend of Croatian diy underground, Kktz you’ll find yourself in serious trouble because there are so much of them that I’m pretty sure he himself sometimes cannot remember them all from the first (the rest of the full line up bands in which he was or still is a part of I won’t even mention because list will be almost endless)..
one of the youngest among them all is Gutterskull and beside his old legendary noise/industrial project
Gruuthaagy probably my favorite so far.. also I think that Gutterskull describes him best in his true form - black metal soul but with roots buried deep down in diy hardcore punk and crust which he can't or won't escape from..
Chthonian Moribund Sovereign (it will take you a quite some google search and a while to understand this complicated title) is his 4th release which makes Gutterskull already as one respectable project with pretty decent discography.. few months after this was available online now we have it in physical format also, as expected released on a tape by his own Worship The Abyss label, this time in extra limited amount of only 25 hand numbered copies and I’m glad I was able to get mine on time..
tape itself is done in proper old school diy way, photocopied covers with all art and design completely made by hand in his already recognizable simple, primitive but dark and ruminated artwork which fits Gutterskull perfectly and if you want to visualize this noise with art you hardly could do it better, that’s for sure, the whole thing has a soul, definitely, although a black one..
there are only 5 songs this time and music is surprisingly functional mix of raw black metal vocals and pure d-beat punk noise all together making interesting blend of dark metal punk filth which turns out pretty original and I think it can easily be enjoyable to metal heads and crust punk fans at the same time.. 3 of those songs are actually from his older hc punk band Propast on whose ashes Gutterskull was built up and continued as one man army, but now in this new black and crusty form.. the whole thing transmits vibes full of anguish, darkness, pessimism and grim and sometimes, especially when listened from the tape it brings this almost ritual atmosphere.. production on this album is more similar to the earliest releases and unlike on previous demo Coldness of the Bunker now it sounds more like real band is playing, even the drums sounds more convincing than ever so I'm not really sure are they programmed or played for real, also this d-beat side is somehow more represented this time and that are some things I like the most here..
the same songs are recorded on both side of the tape, on my copy the beginning of one side (first minute) is little fcked up, don’t know if this is just isolate case, but I don’t mind it, it's just reflect simple, relaxed and diy approach which I already miss a little nowadays when there's too much "professionalism" even in diy publishing..
lyrics, which are in the same tone as artwork and music - it means short, simple but darker than deepest corners of hell, are included on folded cover which is photocopied on purple paper and this purple/black combo sure do looks nice and fit this release more than well..
Gutterskull successfully avoids some traps that one man bands usually holds, it doesn't sound sterile at all, the songs are enough diverse so the outcome doesn't become boring and it achieves desired atmosphere easily.. so if you are looking for something little different, original and can't decide if you want spice up your day with some primitive raw black metal or with good old d-beat punk try with this one..
the tapes are already sold out by Kktz but you can try to find it on some obscure distros because it seems some tape trading conspiracy was active around this release as well.. and of course it's always available online in digital form on bandcamp page or youtube (see the links above)..
