You certainly can’t accuse The Gluts of slacking off. Active for over a decade, they have now released their fifth album, “Bang!” (Fuzz Club), not counting singles, EPs, and live albums.
“Like the sound of a single gunshot, straight to the heart,” is how the Milan-based band describes the album, which indeed has a fitting title. The energetic opener “Soybeans” kicks the door open, blasts around, and is quickly gone.
The Gluts operate at the intersection of punk and psych rock, as they do on their latest work. Catchy anthems suddenly drift into repetitive grooves. The title track is still very direct, but we repeatedly get caught in a buzzing whirlpool as the album progresses.
The Gluts vary their approach, attempting to bring in drama with “Vampire, A Walk At Midnight.” Overall, it’s a very heavy album, continually driven by the passionate frontman Nicolò J. Campana. There’s little lightness, with many meaningful gestures. Power with “Sleep Demon,” atmosphere with “Marble Cats,” ensuring it never gets monotonous.
The Gluts – Bang!: Psych punk that takes itself seriously. – RIFL
