The W.A M. Awards celebrate the year’s most outstanding independent artists from around the world in multiple genres and categories. "Best Song" and "Best Album" nominations were based on Artistry, Musicianship, Originality, Professionalism, Diversity, and Excellence. W.A.M. stands for "We Are the Music Makers.' Gürschach's "Undead Empire" was the 2020 W.A.M. Award Winner for Best Song in the Metal music category.
Unapologetically in your face and brimming with raw charisma “Undead Empire” by GÜRSCHACH is one hell of a ride. The drums and bass are absolutely rock solid. They work in tandem so well they provide a firm foundation for the rest of the band to lie upon. The toms from the drums in particular feel like a mountain is being moved with every hit. The guitars are absolutely massive. Like any metal song worth it’s salt, the guitars chug along with unparalleled energy and stellar technique. The vocals, when sung, are reminiscent of James Hetfield and sometimes evolve into grungy primal growling. Both are masterfully performed. What really gives this song it’s edge is that the band gels together perfectly. They all play together so well that the pace of the song moves along effortlessly.
The intro is truly something to behold. Similar in energy to the Haka dance performed by the Maori, the chanting along with the drums really help to draw the listener in. Building in anticipation the first verse is an explosion of guitars bass and drums. By the time the vocals come in the song is already in full swing and feels amazing. The chorus somehow manages to ramp up the energy even more with powerful vocals and clever arranging from the guitars. The outro/bridge is a masterclass on metal arranging. Chock full of catchy guitar solos and tireless energy from the drums it never has a dull moment, and the expert musicianship keeps the part driving without a hitch. The last chorus ends the song very nicely with a bang and is the perfect culmination of all the cathartic energy that has been building since the bridge.
The group draws inspiration from a menagerie of different genres, including metal of course, latin, sludge, punk and jazz just to name a few. They brew all of these different ideas to create a sound they describe as “Dark Matter”. GÜRSCHACH attempts to defy the status quo of what metal fans expect, and a lot of the material was created to disrupt what you might be hearing from a conventional metal piece. The band does all of this and more in “Undead Empire” and expect to be surprised at every corner. With an infectious rock charisma and superb playing from the band, “Undead Empire” by Gürschach is a standout achievement in songwriting.
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About Gürschach Gürschach Website Gürschach (Pronounced (Ger-shock)) have been yelling “Buy our shirts!” to crowds in the San Francisco bay area and beyond since 2011. The group features guitarist and vocalist X, drummer Daniel Justo-Sanchez, bassist and vocalist Scotty McRib, and guitarist Leyland Reid. Their music harkens back to the glory days of metal, such as the works of Metallica and Pantera, while featuring progressive and experimental sounds reminiscent of Tool and Buckethead’s music. They blend metal, Latin, sludge, progressive, punk, and jazz elements to create a new sound that they describe as a simple phrase: Dark Matter.
The group has played extensively since 2014, opening for acts like Psychostick, Cyborg Octopus, Toy Called God and Raven Black in their tenure. They are well known in the bay area for their intricately driving guitars, funk inspired slap bass, Latin groove drum patterns, and strong vocal delivery in a high energy, no holds barred live set. Fans initially got a taste of their sound on their debut Beautiful Nightmares EP in 2015, and their first full length album Dark Matter was released on December 1, 2017. Two years afterwards, Gürschach has toured throughout the Pacific West and Midwestern United States, and have released several music videos. They aim to be at a venue near you soon, buy their shirts!
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