Album Review: Only Constant by GEL

Sound like a distant screech through a tin can split by two sharp breaths followed by the concordant barrage of guitars and drums is the acidic opening of GEL’s sixteen minute, abstersive LP Only Constant. Picking up steam with their Violent Closure EP and a split EP with COLD BRATS, the band’s debut album is a full bore experience start-to-finish, pausing to breathe if only that its next howling anthem be that much more explosive.

Immediately noticeable is that GEL play with tempo and form like master puppeteers, and their play highlights their duality. “Honed Blade” sets the expectation for how the band will ease into a time change so seamlessly it’s an assurance that alongside the blinding energy is a compositional clarity of purpose. “Dicey” performs destructive surgery, switching between jack hammer and sledgehammer pace. “Worn Down” leaps into double time, barreling full-tilt through auditory barriers without compromise. Then “Snake Skin” inverts this, building to a half-time massive and powerful as a freight train crashing through a frozen lake.

GEL’s fury is measured in both practice and preaching. Their lyricism is vehement, but not unclear, and that clarity is no more audible than the frenzied climaxes to their songs. “Fortified” closes with the indignant, “Don’t fucking cower/Stand your ground/stare right back and be proud.” “Out of Mind” ends with the ferocious demand, “Burn/Burn it into the ground/Cinders stoked-enough to fill, enough to choke/Hopped up to kill.” Finally, “Composure” closes the record with the one-two punch, “navigate boldly-act with intent/navigate boldly-with a drive to fucking direct,” before billowing with distortion until the instrumentation is nigh indecipherable. Their rage is not aimless, it is targeted and inspired, with all of the fire and fury that comes with.

Only Constant is out now on your streaming service of choice. Find GEL on Bandcamp, Instagram, and Twitter.