EP REVIEW: Shunners/Burrows – Coilguns

Switzerland’s COILGUNS have been flying the flag for the DIY scene for a full decade now. Formed by former members of progressive metallers THE OCEAN, the now four-piece muster a similarly sludgy heft to that of their ex-bandmates. Their sound however bears far more of a hardcore bent, with strong elements of mathcore and noise in particular. Currently working on their fourth full-length album, the band have decided to share a couple of songs from the sessions in the form of a two-track EP entitled Shunners/Burrows. The whole thing lasts only eight and a half minutes, but it makes up for its short runtime with savagery and urgency aplenty.

As with all COILGUNS’ records, Shunners/Burrows was recorded live and uncut, and it’s easy to feel that here. Both tracks burst with the kind of energy that can only come from getting a band in a room together. It suits the songs well, the overall effect one of raw, in your face intensity. Of course, the recordings no doubt capture just a shred of the actual COILGUNS live experience, but they still manage to stir plenty in their listeners even through the limitations of headphones or speakers. Mixed and mastered by newly recruited bassist Kevin Galland, everything hits with full force without ever feeling too polished or too messy.

As for the music itself, both Shunners and Burrows see COILGUNS dealing in a furiously sludgy brand of chaotic hardcore. The former is the longer and more dynamic of the two. It starts off with a despondently heavy mix of slow-moving riffs, driving toms and semi-spoken vocals from frontman Louis Jucker. Eventually, this erupts into a tornado of sludge of apocalyptic proportions. Jucker sounds utterly apoplectic here, his screams sitting atop winding riffs and Luc Hess’ thunderous drum work. Burrows after that is more of a straightforward rager, but still one that eschews any conventional song structure. It’s rabid and chaotic, with Jucker once again bringing buckets of tortured fury to the track’s more high energy fare.

With such a short runtime, Shunners/Burrows is all too fleeting, but it is a great record while it’s on. It gives a good idea of what COILGUNS do best, and acts as a solid appetiser for what will surely be a glorious main course when the band’s next full-length arrives in 2022. 

Rating: 8/10

Shunners/Burrows is set for release on November 26th via Hummus Records.

Like COILGUNS on Facebook.