Gurriers – Come And See

Label: No Filter
Released: 13th September 2024

There’s a lot in the world to be angry about. Irish punk five-piece Gurriers have taken all of this fury and created ‘Come And See’, a firecracker of a debut album that catapults them straight into the eye of the storm. No panic, though; this is what they were made for.

Every now and again, you come across a record that needs to be heard to be believed. This is one of them. From the moment opening track ‘Nausea’ kicks in and kicks off, Gurriers grab you by the arm and drag you through a throbbing, unrelenting exposé on modern life. The sardonic lyricism of ‘Dipping Out’ could have easily been lifted from a song by The Clash, whilst the thrash guitar and screamed-out chorus of ‘No More Photos’ unleash anger in a way that could inspire a mosh pit at a moment’s notice. Searing tirades are complemented by the more melodic moments in ‘Top of the Bill’ and ‘Sign of the Times’, continuing the piercing analysis of the 21st century alongside fuzzy guitar and menacing bass.

The record is an expertly crafted example of restrained chaos, just teetering on the edge of complete carnage whilst maintaining enough structure and poise to deliver their doctrine with pinpoint accuracy and more than enough persuasion.

It’s impossible to overstate how impressive this album is. It’s not impressive for a debut; it’s not impressive for a punk album; it’s just impressive. It’s unambiguous, it’s unapologetic, it’s quite frankly unbelievable.

There’s a lot of competition for the title of Best Irish Band at the moment, and there’s no reason why Gurriers shouldn’t be challenging for it.