NYC doom sect GUHTS was founded as a passion project at the start of the pandemic by musicians from Witchkiss, Black Mountain Hunger, Sleaping Dreaming, and Nefariant. Back in the autumn of 2021, they released their striking EP, Blood Feather. Since then, Daniel Martinez (bass) and Brian Clemens (drums) were recruited as the band’s retooled rhythm section. Meanwhile, GUHTS have shared the stage with artists notable for poignant and reflective heavy music like YOB, Cave In, and Mizmor. Now Seeing Red Records and New Heavy Sounds join forces to release the band’s spellbinding debut LP, Regeneration. Decibel Magazine is thrilled to share an early stream with you ahead of the album’s January 26th release date.
From the uneasy hum of 8+ minute opener “White Noise,” there’s a balance of new flesh and old scabs on Regeneration. It’s an album that sound heavier and darker than Blood Feather, as the retooled songs breathe harsher air between notes. True to the album’s title, the older tracks revisited for the LP feel vibrant and fresh. While the band can bash it out on stage with their sludgy edge, their music’s fragility is also its strength. Guitarist Scott Prater textures each dirge with leads that shimmer like distant stars. Vocalist Amber Gardner turns heads with poisoned shrieks, then soothes with bittersweet melodies. By the time the album reaches epic closer “The Wounded Healer,” the album’s themes of strengthening through adversity and transformation truly emerge.
“The title, Regeneration, symbolizes the power of self-renewal, which is often overlooked,” GUHTS shares in a statement. “Embracing it means shedding old layers and welcoming new beginnings. Without this, life stagnates and is simply sustaining. Through regeneration, change becomes empowering, allowing new facets to emerge. It’s a courageous transformative process inspiring others to overcome fears and embrace change. The album embodies the human spirits resilience and capacity for growth.”
“I totally see how it can sound pretentious, but I also think it gives other women the freedom to take up space and live big,” the band continues. “I am well aware of how the world works and I’m okay with making people feel uncomfortable because I have had to grow and am still growing through a whole shit ton of discomfort to get to this point. The lyrics were deeply inspired by women’s narratives like Women Who Run With the Wolves or works like On Our Best Behavior by Elise Loehnen, advocating stepping beyond comfort zones and believing in it’s transformative properties.”
Regenerate your strength by pressing play on GUHTS below.
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