Gorguts

For technical death metal fans, the return of Gorguts is equivalent to the second coming of the Messiah. Since main man Luc Lemay reformed the group with a brand new line-up in 2009, they've played a few shows and began working on new material. Colored Sands marks the Québécois tech-death innovators' first release in 12 years and the legendary act's sound has evolved, as the album is definitely not Obscura part two. However, that's not a detriment, as the essence of Gorguts remains, with harsh atmospheres, heavy and brutal rhythms, as well as avant-garde guitar work and Lemay's thick, dark vocals. While Colored Sands takes bits of Gorguts' previous releases and amalgamates the different elements into one cohesive approach, the record expands upon the more progressive and experimental side of the group with even more unorthodox time signatures, complex song structures, layers of eerie, dissonant guitars and unconventional textures, as well as slow, acoustic parts. The musicianship is impeccable, as the stellar line-up boasts the flawless skills of bassist Colin Marston (Behold... The Arctopus, Dysrhythmia, Krallice), guitarist Kevin Hufnagel (Dysrhythmia) and drummer John Longstreth (Origin, Skinless). Lemay has reinvented Gorguts while showcasing their roots, as the immensely anticipated Colored Sands exceeds expectations and proves to be every bit worth the wait.