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Fangs To The Face

    
       
       
       
     
             
Gutter Creek are a Canadian based heavy metal band formed in 2020 releasing their self titled debut album in 2022, and sophomore album 'Fangs To The Face' in 2023.    
             
Founded by guitarist Matt Hanchuck (Wreck-Defy) and drummer Derrick Kroll (Votov), the band line-up for the new album is completed by vocalist Soren Adamsen (ex Artillery) and bass player Greg Christian (Wreck-Defy, ex Testament) - 'Fangs To The Face' featuring an incredible twelve songs across a colossal sixty two minutes! The band have toured in Canada, opened for Grammy award winning rockers Tantric, and are slated to appear at the 2024 Loud As Hell festival in Alberta (Canada). On top of that, Gutter Creek are currently hard at work recording a third album - but it's the bands second album I'm focusing on right now...    
             
...'Fangs To The Face' exploding into life with the fast paced and immediate 'Evil Ditches'. Hammering the ground hard with one foot firmly planted on the monitor, Gutter Creek deliver a heart pounding, pulse racing slab of all out heavy metal with immense magnetism! For every metalhead on the planet are gonna be attracted to 'Fangs To The Face' - the album storming on with the title song 'Fangs To The Face'. And a mighty mid tempo thunderstorm rises high in the air, Gutter Creek moving forward with a phenomenal level of menace, the band a little bit ferocious, fierce and scary too! The opening double has been nothing short of sensational, definitely two of the best metal songs I've heard this year! Better make that three - 'cause what's been a phenomenal brace now turns into a thrice, 'Defeated' entering the fray with a weighty dose of thrash! And when you consider the thrash metal prowess of the individual musicians on show, it shouldn't be that much of a surprise, 'cause across the board - vocals, guitars, drums and bass - all come across as thunderously heavy! Yet marvellously melodic too!    
             
And at just a quarter of the way in, is it too early to say 'Fangs To The Face' (the album) is turning in an Album Of The Year performance! Hell no it's not, the swagger on offer is immense, Gutter Creek powering on with the most melodious song heard so far, 'He's Got Swagger' maintaining the albums superb start! A start that's simply getting better and better, for it's exactly this kinda heavy metal that's running through my blood, and I'd like to give it to you if I could! But due to a life threatening medical condition I fell victim to a few years ago, I can't - so I'm just gonna let Gutter Creek give it to ya instead, the band roaring on with mild ferocity courtesy of 'Dissension'. And when I say mild, I mean a mild level that keeps 'Dissension' - and the album as a whole - half a step away from thrash. In fact, 'Fangs To The Face' (the album) towers above thrash metal territory threatening to drop in at anytime - 'Coalition Of Faith' picking up the pace to storm forth with all the aggression you'd find in thrash metal land! The band are definitely straddling the border between traditional heavy metal and thrash right now, attracting fans of both genres into the bands soundscape - a soundscape that's so overpowering that when you enter you won't want to leave. But then why would you when the metal on offer is this fucking good!    
             
And I'm sure it's purely coincidental, but the best song on 'Fangs To The Face' (the album) 'Find A Way Out', is cemented right bang smack in the middle of the album! 'Find A Way Out' has everything both a metaller and thrasher could ever want from a single song - pace, power, purpose and intent all topped off with an immense infectious level and a magnificent melodic streak! Not to mention the hugely sing a long-able chorus break and the phenomenal amount of head bang ability! As I said, 'Find A Way Out' has it all - perfection if you will! And with no sign of the (albums) incredible intensity disappearing anytime soon, Gutter Creek open the throttle fully to speed on with 'Cain'. Changing down through the gears at around forty seconds, the band march on at a heavy mid tempo pace - majestic too! But there's more, 'Cain' continues to change gears, switching from mid paced to fast and back again in the blink of an eye! I tell ya readers, Gutter Creek are more than a tour de force, cruising on at pace with 'One Great Imperfection', featuring some of the fastest passages of any song on the album! The band are in devastating form here, more so than anywhere else on 'Fangs To The Face' (the album), loading 'One Great Imperfection' with irresistible hooks, riffs, rhythms and melodies! And I hope it's not too cheesy to say this album hasn't got any imperfections...    
             
...'Tortured Soul' the next masterpiece to grace the airways, tickling and tantalising every pleasure zone on the human body! And I mean every zone - no appendage or crack is safe from the pleasure on show, whether it's the top of the body, bottom or somewhere in the middle, everywhere's in for a satisfying treat! And the turn of speed towards the end of 'Tortured Soul' is orgasmic, the band delivering an exhilarating finish! And with a level of elegance not heard anywhere else on the album, 'Born Upon The Cross' is the most majestic march on 'Fangs To The Face' (the album), the band striding tall and very proud across heavy metal territory - Gutter Creek confirming they're more than just an out and out metal machine! And as regular readers will already know, for any album this good I always remind listeners of why the replay/repeat button was invented. Yep, you've got it - just for albums like this one. But before you press that button (again and again) there's one more song on offer, the albums final hurrah 'Resistance'. And what a hurrah - probably the heaviest song on 'Fangs To The Face' (the album), 'Resistance' features groove metal riffing and a glorious chant style chorus that breaks down the songs title into three parts! So come on everyone, chant with me (and the band), "re", "sis", "stance". Pure fucking genius!    
             
Overall, a stunning array of infectious heavy metal with strong thrash metal leanings, 'Fangs To The Face' is a superb album.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Gutter Creek    
             
             
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