Review: GNOD ‘Chronicles Of Gnowt (Vol. 2)’
OK, so here we are: Chronicles Of Gnowt (Vol. 2), picking up swiftly from where I left off having covered Vol. 1 earlier in the year, we are now on to the second part of the trilogy, and what a mixed bag full of rabid rodents it is.
I mean that in the best way possible, as this time around I find myself far deeper into the ensemble’s dynamic and with a greater understanding of the whole GNOD experience.
Right off the bat, I want to say that last time I felt a little out of my depth. Dealing with such a well-known underground entity meant I probably shouldn’t have been such a newbie to their sonics before undertaking the review. This time, however, I have found it easier to engage now that I can see the wider scope of music they cover. I initially expected them to keep a singular perspective, but when delving deeper, I found this to be utterly wrong. Previously, it left me a bit bemused, whereas this time it feels a lot clearer and more precise.
With Chronicles Of Gnowt (Vol. 2), we find five completely contrasting pieces. No two really sound the same, and each has a uniqueness that separates them. As an early doors statement, I would say that track five, Strangled, is possibly one of my top tracks of 2026. I will speak about that more later, but for now, let’s home in on the opus as a whole.
Starting with The Witness, it is hard not to draw a tonal comparison to Talking Heads, especially as it conjures up parallels to their disjointed and awkward dynamic. Angular guitar atop a funky drum pattern is very reminiscent of those tunes from our childhoods, in particular such classics as Psycho Killer, Once In A Lifetime, and even Burning Down The House. Even the vocal attack has an air of David Byrne about it – spoken more than sung, and slightly off-kilter too.
masterclass in nerve-shredding, eardrum-splattering filth…
Ice Man swiftly bowls in to fill the air with seven minutes of abrasive and utterly revolting Melvins-esque grungy punk following that previous cataclysmic implosion. It is a masterclass in nerve-shredding, eardrum-splattering filth, and during its time emanating from the speakers, it manages to make you completely forget what its predecessor even sounded like. More at home in the pits of Hades, this one is both dense and dingy, lurching through the static. Even when it stops for a moment and you think it is done, it revives in an even danker way before dying a painful death.
The shortest track of the five is also the midway point: Travellers Return. Considering what has come before it, this is far more minimalist in its approach, giving nods to Pink Floyd at their most experimental, even if that is an inadvertent side effect. It pulls the intensity back to an acceptable level, but even then, as it plays through, its dark demeanour still manages to be laden with a claustrophobic closeness.
Old Gold, track four, brings us swiftly back round to GNOD at their weirdest. This disjointed sonnet smacks of being the most eclectic on the album, again taking its cues from parts of Pink Floyd mixed with one of my dad’s old favourite bands, The Fixx. Now, I am not saying either band was a conscious decision sound-wise, but when I listen to it, these are my benchmarks for comparison. It is not a bad thing; after all, this album is a mixture of styles and elements, so why not throw a wider network of influences into the fold?
So, as I mentioned earlier, we finally come to Strangled. This is the most pivotal track on the album, and for me, it is one of the best things I have heard in 2026. The twelve-minute apocalyptic extravaganza has everything: durgy bass and guitar, brutally punchy percussion, an eloquently visceral monologue, and even an air raid siren thrown in for good measure. This menacing powerhouse features Manchester spoken word poet and all-round art magician Dr Lauren McLean monologuing throughout, and its subdued, somewhat ethereal muted dynamic works lusciously over the soundtrack. The addition of the siren in the background gives it a full world-ending feel that completes the experience.
It really doesn’t get any better than this. Bring on Chronicles Of Gnowt (Vol. 3)…
Label: Rocket Recordings
Band Links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Lee Beamish
