Some things are just meant to be. There are any number of styles out there across the vast spectrum of metal that all come together in such a form that is fitting and bombastic for all the right reasons, but there are few things that can compare to when you get an act that manages to really embody only the finest aspects of what a sound can become. Sometimes, it comes from the most unexpected of places. The Asian scene is not given nearly enough credit for all that it has crawling through its sprawling depths, and for those that don’t expect much it’s the unholy might of Gawthrop with their voracious first full-length album grabbing you by the throat and hurling you into a whole new dimension of suffocating terror.

For many, heaviness is the name of the game. While that’s something that can really sound easy in theory and on paper, it’s entirely different to bring into aural form in such a way that feels cohesive, well thought out, and even more well-executed. For the last few years, we’ve seen a respectable increase in those that are doubling – if not tripling – down on their oppressive intensity, yet there’s always room for more. Having made their stain upon this realm made clear through two eviscerating demos and splits, it’s with this new opus of interdimensional suffering, “Kuboa”, that this Seoul entity can’t help but seek bloodied flesh. Utterly relentless down to the very marrow of these musicians’ bones, there isn’t so much as a moment of “Kuboa” that isn’t meticulously crafted for the highest level of menace and claustrophobic fury that just cannot be denied for all that it is. Alongside its tantalizing riffs and carefully put together rhythms that are nigh on mesmerizing, Gawthrop does far more than simply top themselves with everything about this record. Rather, they raise the bar for their scene as a whole. The Korean scene has not been something to ignore for quite some time, yet it is somehow with all that’s been delivered throughout “Kuboa” that Gawthrop manages to stand out and blow away the competition with ferocity and tact in a way that’s simply bewildering to watch unfold.

To witness a rising act is always a privilege that never gets old. Damn near no matter the circumstance, watching a band get its bearings and then proceed to deliver material that’s just fascinating for all the different elements that have come together to bring such a dense tapestry to life in exquisite fashion. From every angle, Gawthrop is more than deserving of being hailed as such a wonder. Brutal, oppressive, and downright captivating for its raw presence alone, it’s virtually every suffocating moment of “Kuboa” that leaves you pulverizing albeit yearning for more.

“Kuboa” releases on September 19th via Sentient Ruin Laboratories!

LISTEN to an advanced track from “Kuboa” on Bandcamp here, or via YouTube below.

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