Gnome will never make everyone happy. The Belgian trio offers a unique blend of intensely heavy stoner prog full of self-deprecation and geek humor, somehow deeply dividing our scene. Their world of pointy hats and TikTok choreographies irritates some to the highest degree, while others see it as a breath of fresh air and, most importantly, particularly ingenious music. Does “Vestiges of Verumex Visidrome” sign the end of the hype or does it establish their status for good?
The fuzz scene discovered Gnome with their 2022 sophomore album “King” through a slab of crazy DIY music videos, so paradoxically funny and original in a sclerotic scene that tends to take itself too seriously. As a result, it feels like we talk much more about their imagery or super dedicated fanbase than the music itself and this is a real shame.
Gnome is the art of mixing groovy and incisive riffs with prog rock in an almost math rock way with heavy doomy parts. Vocals-wise, grandiloquence prevails but the voices are loud and shouted when necessary. A riff that grooves like no other, a slightly crazy vocal line, a soaring proggy bit, a bridge as heavy as one can be with shouted vocals and some healthy shredding, on top of their weird but fantastic visual aesthetic make for a truly refreshing mixture.
On this new effort, the formula remains unchanged but they pushed all knobs even further in the red. The opener “Old Soul” sets the tone for the album. It was clear from the moment it was released. Catchy and efficient, with even more emphasis on vocals and a more massive production: all the ingredients are there. Later we find hints of “Ambrosius” on the main riff of “Duke of Disgrace”, which should also appeal to early fans. I especially love this gnarly fuzz on the verge of collapse on the second verse.
But the band still knows how to surprise us. For example, I did not expect the almost epic doom heaviness on “The Ogre” which tricked us well with this ever-present melodic singing and rock vibe on the rest of the track. The finale is an absolute masterpiece with its sax solo from hell — clearly the album’s most elaborate and cutting-edge track. Another surprise is the full-on Mexican Fiesta intro for “Golden Fool”, which remains the album’s most nervous track with its almost Mastodonian riff. This very absurd and playful bridge setting up to a heavy finale is the very definition of what Gnome does best.
More violence with the intro of “Rotten Tongue”: applying the good old “loud, soft, loud” formula, it’s a sheer demonstration of applied dynamics. On “Back to the Mud”, the band tries its luck blasting pure hard rock (special mention to the bridge’s tasty bass line). “John Frum” is the apotheosis with notably tasteful arrangements and transitions.
One word to describe this new album: “epic”. It feels logical for the band to go in such a direction. The riffs are sharper and more threatening, guitar leads are epic, and vocals are pushed into ultra grandiloquent (which may displease some but remain particularly relevant) while growled vocals get sprinkled wisely.
Gnome offers a bold and rich album in the pure gnomesque tradition. As always with this band, half of the scene will scream “overrated!” while the others (myself included) stand ready to follow our dear leprechauns in all their frenzies as long as they are of this quality.
Last modified: 8 October 2024
