Sometimes you come across an album so dense it takes you and pushes you out in front of the proverbial bus. Sometimes you find an album so heavy and caustic you can’t help but wonder how someone could create something that dark. Well ladies and gentlemen, Alberta’s grind mathematicians Spurn have delivered just that album with their release “Comfort in Nothing”.
“Comfort in Nothing” wastes no time sucking you in for the sonic assault that awaits your ear drums. For an album so distorted and chaotic, the production is spot on. Every instrument sits very well in the mix for everything to be heard amongst the chaos. The vocals spit , snarl, and bark with such conviction and pain you can’t help but be overcome with emotion. The guitars are extremely impressive as they shred dissonant chords and technical leads yet somehow creating a melody for your brain to latch onto during the audio curb stomping. The drums and bass……wow. The drums alone on this album are worthy of checking this album out. Such thunderous precious and energy really build up the contagious energy Spurn bring to the table. The bass does an excellent job of tying the over the top drums and dissonant guitars together with it’s thick low end.
Notable tracks on the album include “Spoiled Features”, “Comfort in Nothing”, and “No Safety”. “Spoiled Features” does a great job of bringing groove to the bands mathematic sound and starting the album off on the right foot. “Comfort in Nothing” brings the same intensity but adds (I guess we could call it) melody to the low tuned dirge. The semi melodic guitar work and the guttural vocals really meld together on this one to create an ethereal vibe. “No Safety” sees Spurn slow down to almost a complete crawl. Once again adding dissonant leads that mimic a “melody” with drop tuned riffage, it really plays out like a descent down into the pits of hell with the manic vocals as they shriek and cry for dear life.
I haven’t heard a record this terrifying since the release of Gaza’s “I Don’t Care Where I Go When I Die”, and that’s really saying something. Destructive, jarring, yet fluid and cohesive…..Spurn did a damn good job with every aspect of this album. If you dig the disjointed chaos of bands like Botch, Gaza, and Norma Jean…..Spurn is just what you have been waiting for! They are in the studio now recording an album and you can bet we are excited to hear the mayhem they have to offer……..