Fellow metal heads, now I'm pretty sure you'll agree with the following statement: Music, whatever kind, draws its energy and power from the tone. A particular tone can turn a whole album around and give so much groove and credibility to the band. As of forever, musicians have dedicated blood, sweat and tears to crafting a sound that could distance itself from past creations and polish up the new ones. With this thought in mind, that 1998 German band GUT ABSORBER mashed up Death metal to... Rock 'n Roll! The result? Something between innovative, interesting and strange. Through the thick and unbelievably low growls or the sustained and distorted riffs, the formation has managed to put together a groovy record with destabilizing elements. The band has been around for a while now, but ''Gore Rock'' is their only studio album... Ladies and gents, leave place to experimentation!

The quintet was somewhat able to transform this record into a metal album, even with a lighter pinnacle as rock is intended to be. Adding tempo breakdowns for a heavier effect and washing it down with harsh drum play allows the listener to seize the metal influences, but it wouldn't be without the bottommost vocals that the band could label themselves as death metal (there are some serious Johan Hegg from AMON AMARTH and KATAKLYSM influences in there... and let's not forget the major influence: George Corpsegrinder Fisher from CANNIBAL CORPSE). Rocket fueled without being blast beats, the rhythm is solid and contains technique but the bouncy and bent-note riffs fused to the old school tone can only give out a light-headed rock 'n roll spirit. The album may have been intended to be haunting through some darker pieces, but the general swinging bass and groovy guitar effects turn it into a part somber, part easy listen.

Still, the ideas are interesting. If the record opened with a draining, repetitive track (''Templars of Blood''), it still gave a good idea of the languishing wails (SAXON style) or the toned-like-the-80s riffs. With the songs passing by, GUT ABSORBER sometime abandon the empty rock structures (chorus and verse) for a much fuller partition. Round, jerky and festive, our men from Germany get heavier and heavier with every song, before going back to a lighter track - an interesting way to diversify the listen and alternate between the sounds. ''The Butcher'' is an aggressive track, but not for typical death metal reasons. It is dragged down by heavy instrumentals, slowing down the piece and twisting it to an interesting, metallic effect. The rhythm breakdowns are a major high point on ''Gore Rock'' and, without giving the brutal death metal effect some would look for, it most certainly intensifies the master feeling. The backup sound of the guitars and bass have a typical filtered effect used in rock music. Songs like ''Blood, Whiskey and Beer'' are excellent listens who tend to be more on the rock side of the record, whilst heavier songs like ''Daydream Nightmare'' exude a brutal feel. For grand final, ''Infernal Bloodshed'' is a doomy song from the depths of a tar pit, slow, heavy. It ends the album with a dramatic touch, bad omen is on it's way.

If there are any other brutal influences, it would have to be in the name of the band. GUT ABSORBER here trick the metal community. With such a graphic name, one would probably never expect the band to come up with a Death 'n roll record. Props to them, you will probably remember the formation for it's creative combo of genres and innovative daring. Only starting to peak their heads out in the musical industry, I hope for new surprises from the band. With an old-school tone and cool, refreshing fluid leads, GUT ABSORBER leave a trace in the metal realm. Sure underground for now, you never know where creativity and originality can bring you.