Review: “Doom//Gloom” by Gouged

Recorded and mixed by Nick Burgess before mastering by Mike Kalajian (Defeated Sanity, The Bronx, The Devil Wears Prada) at Rogue Planet, “Doom//Gloom” marks the debut EP of Washington Deathcore collective Gouged. A band who have already shared stages and turned venues to rubble alongside heavy hitters like Signs Of The Swarm, Ov Sulphur and Mental Cruelty, their 2022 debut single “Villain” paving the way.

Eerie atmospherics bring the record to life with the 52 seconds of “Doom” threatening to set the teeth on edge before the punishment beating that is “Knull & Void“. That first track proper finds the band joined by Joseph Wafford for some stomach churning guitars as the mid tempo full of Tyrannosaurus Rex sized stomp moments sinks in. Shifting through the gears like a Juggernaut on the freeway, “Thy Flesh Consumed” feels like a Deathcore version of something August Burns Red would write. From Melodic Metalcore riffs to brutal breakdowns and Pig squeals, it has it all and while the experiment probably shouldn’t work on paper, the opposite is true in reality. “Gloom” offers an interlude of hip hop flavoured programed beats and guitar loop to give it a sinister edge before the neck snapped assault on the senses that is “Heavy Weight“. The vocal range on display is once again incredible, from Metallic Hardcore style barks to all out throat splitting Slam inspired Death growls, cutting against an dark soundscape of Downtempo Deathcore chugs. An introspective lyrical narrative feels raw and gritty rather than woe is me without digging too deep. “As Above, So Below” finds Austin Dickey of Infant Annihilator and Nekrogoblikon lending his throat and his unmistakable vocals add that metaphorical killer instinct to something that is already armed and dangerous. An “Arf. Arf!” moment straight from the Knocked Loose playbook develops quickly into something in the Blackened Symphonic Deathcore register of bands like Draconian Reign in sublime fashion, leaning you wondering what this band could be given the time to mature and develop their sound. All in all a punchy debut offering from a band with a seriously bright future [7.5/10]

Track Listing

1. Doom
2. Knull & Void (ft. Joseph Wafford)
3. Thy Flesh Consumed
4. Gloom
5. Heavy Weight
6. As Above, So Below (ft. Austin Dickey of Infant Annihilator, Nekrogoblikon)

“Doom/Gloom” by Gouged is out 19th January 2024