CD Reviews
NAUT - Hunt | Review
NAUT - Hunt
February 2023
Season Of Mist
Post-punk, gothic rock, Bristol based, NAUT released their debut album, "Hunt"!
While we anticipate the new Grave Pleasures full length, NAUT released their debut album, "Hunt" and seems like they have reserved a spot on the highest numbers of our favorite's list for this year. And the reason I mention Grave Pleasures is because,"Hunt", the 4 piece band from Bristol seems like throwing glances in the Finland's top post-punk band and blend some of the elements coming from the modern post-punk lines with the influences from the pioneers of the genre back in 70s and 80s, while there is an enormous "touch" of metal and old school goth riffs.
The quartet from Bristol started writing their unique post-punk, goth riffs back in 2016 and they introduced themselves with two really good EPs, "Raise The Lights" in 2017 and "Semele" in 2019. The year they released their debut EP, NAUT supported Grave Pleasures in two shows. In 2019 after the departure of their drummer, they changed format into a drum machine rock project. Throughout the years NAUT appeared live next to a number of bands as diverse in sound as the band's audience. From King Dude and Pink Turns Blue to Discharge and Orange Goblin, NAUT is representing a variety of darkness in music.
Being always active NAUT had been writing the songs that best suited in what was meant to be a great debut full length, from a band that combines the gothic ambience of the early 90s and the dark rock, post-punk of 2020s into eight powerful songs. "Hunt" released on February 24th, 2023 via Season Of Mist and is here to satisfy even the most demanding ones of the post-punk fans.
"Hunt" starts with strength that comes out of the "Dissent", previously released as the second single of the album along with an official lyric video. "Dissent" introduces the more powerful side of NAUT with dynamic guitar riffs into an up beat post-punk tempo. The voice of Gavin Laubscher is getting out of a gothic tale creating an interesting contrast with the guitar sharpness and the synthesized ending. "All The days" is built on the melodic parts of the guitar bringing memories of death rock and turning to post-punk in an addictive chorus. Once again synths are completing the beautiful sound and the vocal part. "Gold & Death" establishes those dark variations of NAUT's sound, balancing between gothic sounds and seductive riffs and synths.
"Damocles", released as the third single of "Hunt", is a track divided into two parallel worlds, in the indolent gothic rock on one hand and new romantics on the other. A song with melody and emotions, on the fringes of a dark ballad. Perhaps one of the most special and characteristic of NAUT's writing style is "8 in 3". Dynamic at its peaks, dark at times, building its tensions while haunting you with its alternations. The longest track of the album, taking you on a journey through the gothic world of NAUT. "Unity Of Opposites" is the first single released out of "Hunt" featuring Chris "Stig" Miller (AMEBIX) as special guest, with the spoken word verses. Inspired by the writings of Heraclitus, built upon the strong bass lines, it is a gloomy dance, edgy post-punk track.
"Nightfall" stays on the, single string, sharpness of the guitar. An uptempo post-punk dancefloor hit. "Watchers" comes to close the debut album from NAUT with the high tension that it started, 7 songs earlier. With strong sense of "Mercy-fulness" in moments and going, discreetly, into well-known "Fields" with the melody and the bridge between the two halves of the song. A great ending for "Hunt", getting you directly into a dark dance mood.
NAUT has created a solid debut full length album, developing into a dark soundscape while the listener dives into each one of the songs. The 4 piece band from Bristol, UK, consisting of Gavin Laubscher (vocals, drum programming), Jack Welch (guitar), Andi Effe (bass) and Laura Taylor (synths/keys), presents a variety of post-punk and goth rock influences in their own unique way, building a diverse gothic universe under a dark rock spectrum. One of the highlights of the year!
Info:
https://www.facebook.com/NAUTUK
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIGxNAUNsmSZ01FiVS1R33w
