Review: Gnod ‘Chronicles Of Gnowt Vol.1’
Having known of the band name for easily a decade, if not longer, it’s only been recently that I’ve gotten around to listening to the Salford outfit Gnod properly. I’m not even sure how they passed me by if I’m honest, especially considering some of the venues they’ve played, and other acts they’ve toured with over the years.
Acts such as Throwing Muses, Mono, Hey Colossus, The Shits, Emma Ruth Rundle, and even Corrosion Of Conformity, to name a few, have all shared bills and festival line-ups with Gnod, and with such a richly diverse scope of acts, it’s no wonder the outfit have been difficult to pigeonhole into any specific genre.
Touted as one of those bands that have amassed quite the roster of musicians over the years, this has, in part, helped to evolve the sound of the collective sporadically. I had the honour of reviewing long time member Marlene Ribeiro’s solo album Toquei No Sol back in 2023 and found the whole experience to be wonderfully beautiful at the time.
Since then, however, I’ve been pretty preoccupied with other Shaman related reviews, gigs, and whatnot to have actually spent the time I should have and checked Gnod out themselves. Recently, though, when I was handed the newest project by the outfit to review, Chronicles Of Gnowt Vol 1, it gave me the opportunity to step right into their world and experience firsthand just what a phenomenal entity they really are.
I had no real idea just what a mountainous back catalogue there was to navigate, and as such, I took the last decade’s worth, started there, and ended up on this latest instalment. It has been an absolute eye opener, and in dissecting Chronicles Of Gnowt Vol 1, I feel like it has been the natural evolution from the previous albums Spot Land in 2024, and the collaboration Drop Out lll, which was created with White Hills.
As for Chronicles… it is the first in a trilogy of releases that will appear over the coming months, and as such, it feels like it’s the first act, more than it being one complete entity. Made up of six tracks, ranging in length from just under three minutes to almost eleven minutes long, it comes in at just under three-quarters of an hour of surging, pensive drones, moody minimalist ambience, and stripped-back electronica.
surging, pensive drones, moody minimalist ambience, and stripped-back electronica…
Opening with Three Tree’s (Part 1) it’s a slow gradience of sound, starting with guitars being occasionally picked or strummed. Slowly gathering a little pace, it morphs into a more coherent sound as it plays through, before dropping back off into the sonic void.
Track two, Shadow Mirror, rolls in eloquently, picking up the intensity in doing so. There is a pensive stoner plod this time round, which is dark and moody. Being the lead track, this is the real highlight moment of the whole album for the uninitiated, and over the course of the seven and a half minutes, it does everything within its power to draw the listener in. It has an otherworldly pulse to it, and throbs as it plays through, and while never truly lifting off, it tentatively elevates in mood as it goes, before finally dropping off at its climax. The mix of jangly guitar atop the muted background, and those clear, raspy vocals work in unison, keeping the listener transfixed throughout, before mysteriously freeing us at its crescendo.
Neptune, piece number three, is more of an instrumental work, but with a whispered monologue that rolls through, giving a stripped-back apocalyptical ambience to the whole thing. The guitar whines and occasional tub thumps carry the track, and sonically, it does feel like being caught up in a strange, mythical embrace.
Three Tree’s (Part 2), what I imagine will be a running theme across the trilogy, is a welcome respite between the more intense tracks. Its mix of serene ambient electronica and softly interlaced guitar feels like a preparation for the following track. Unsurprisingly, it perfectly sets the scene for All Tunnel No Light, where the band gets the opportunity to fully explore their decimating, drudgy sound once more. Again, it starts slowly, building intensity as it goes, and it isn’t until the final third of the track that it really hammers home its abrasive horror.
By the time Ekstasis rolls in to complete the six, it is obvious that this won’t be shaking things up from what has been witnessed to this point. Moody and throbbing, this doom-laden finale continues the concept, and even when it dies off towards the end, you still feel quite beaten down for a long time after.
It’s an interesting start to what looks to be a captivating trilogy, and I for one will be looking forward to the subsequent releases with bated breath.
Label: Rocket Recordings
Band Links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Lee Beamish
