GURS: Basque Raw Post-Punk Quartet Release Blazing Album Gerran Bizi Gara

Formed in the aftermath of a global pandemic in 2021, the Basque band GURS began as a musical project that deepened the bonds between four friends drawn together by a shared commitment to punk rock, post-punk and hardcore music.

In 2022, GURS released their self-titled EP, a four-song debut that took them on a tour of Europe, allowing them to make connections with like-minded bands and individuals within the DIY punk scene. In the summer of 2023, GURS returned to work with Lolo Ruiz at Corsarios Studios in Donostia-San Sebastián to lay down the tracks for their album, Gerran Bizi Gara, which is scheduled for physical release on March 21, 2024 through Brittany-based label Symphony of Destruction.

The first thing that struck me as a history nerd when listening to their self-titled debut in 2022 was the band’s name, which was derived from the infamous Gurs internment camp on the French side of the Pyrenees, which is also depicted on the EP’s cover artwork.

Established in 1939 to detain internationalists fleeing the Spanish Civil War, Gurs evolved into a base of broader political and racial incarceration under both “democratic” French and Nazi control. The camp imprisoned anarchists, communists, pacifists, Jews, and others deemed a threat to the war effort, echoing the grim narrative of European concentration camps during World War II. The transformation of the camp into a Nazi-controlled extermination site under the Vichy collaborationist regime further underscores the atrocities committed during this period.

The continuation of the camp’s use post-World War II to incarcerate individuals who did not conform to the official narrative and those who opposed Franco illustrates the dark and continuing history of political repression in Europe. The band’s choice to name themselves after the camp and to dedicate their work to the memory of those who suffered there is also a stark reminder of the power of music and art to convey historical narratives and inspire resistance against injustice.

Consisting of eight relentless songs, Gerran Bizi Gara (“We Live in War” in Basque) continues the band’s powerful historical narrative of past struggles against fascism and oppression, while resonating universally with themes of memory, identity, and the ongoing struggle for social justice and liberation today.

Musically, GURS are both novel and engaging. Their guitar sound is raw, anthemic, and filled with a sense of immediacy; it brings to mind contemporary bands like Chain Cult, Litovsk and Bleakness, the dark nuances of Scandinavian punk like Masshysteri, and the classic Basque punk ethos of Eskorbuto. As someone who has a preference for fast and aggressive music, I usually find the length of most post-punk/wave albums a bit overwhelming. Gerran Bizi Gara sidesteps this issue neatly, offering just eight tracks in staggering twenty minutes. The songs are short, to the point, yet immersive in their specific atmosphere and delivery. The album completely absorbed me, and it may well do the same for you (now hit play on Bandcamp below!).

“No Retorno” (“No Return” in Spanish) sets the tone for the album with a catchy, chorus-pedal driven sound and anthemic vocals throughout. Lyrically, the song explores urban alienation and the lack of genuine communication and authenticity in late stage capitalism. Through bleak descriptions of city life and its hollow interactions, it directly addresses the superficiality of contemporary existence, highlighting a sense of meaninglessness and disconnection. The chorus “¡CARNE, HUESOS Y ANSIEDAD!” confronts consumer culture and the commodification of human experience.

The second track, “Volverán” (“They Will Return” in Spanish), is a battle hymn against social decay and class inequality, foreshadowing the uprising of marginalized communities against their oppressors. It’s my favorite song from an overall excellent album that combines sheer aggression and abrasiveness with the more tuneful approach of bands like Generación Suicida. It’s a call to arms that imagines the hordes from the peripheries coming to reclaim the city and set it ablaze with their blood and fire, symbolizing a fierce revolt against systemic oppression.

The song is a prelude to the band’s and the album’s title songs “Gurs” and “Gerran Bizi Gara”.

“Gurs”, named after the concentration camp, addresses the scars of history and the refusal to forget the atrocities committed. It evokes a sense of revenge, insisting on remembering the pain “for hate and love”. It’s a song of resilience in the face of historical amnesia, urging a collective memory of the suffering endured. The lyrics of “Gerran Bizi Gara” also feature powerful imagery of burning flesh and iron, speaking to the inherited pain of historical defeats and underscoring the ongoing struggle for identity and freedom. The chorus “GERRAN, GERRAN BIZI GARA” reinforces the message of constant vigilance and resistance.

“Eder ta Hutsa” (“Beautiful and Empty” in Basque) criticizes the hollow aesthetics of modern society, where beauty is sterilized, and violence is sanitized. It laments the construction of superficial identities and the accumulation of sadness amidst the artificial landscapes of our modernity.

“Derrota” (“Defeat” in Spanish) continues the theme of disillusionment and generational despair. It reflects on the loss of ideals and the realization that the struggles of the past have led to a present marked by nostalgia and frustration. The song challenges the romanticization of past victories and the harsh reality of present defeats. Expressing a deep sense of exhaustion and disillusionment, “Bihotz-Nekea” (“Heart-Tired” in Basque) captures the emotional toll of living in a “‘fake city.’” It speaks to the scars left by personal and collective struggles, emphasizing a yearning for escape and a desire to find oneself beyond the confines of faith and societal expectations.

The lyrics of the final song, “Anna” (presumably a person’s name), seem like a heartfelt tribute to loss and memory, exploring the pain of saying goodbye to a friend. Although it is the last song, it is the shortest and fastest punk song on the album, and also the most personal in its message.

Even though my proficiency in Spanish and Basque is almost nonexistent, I used some translation tools and a bit of help from Spanish speaking friends to pen this breakdown of the album’s lyrical themes. I’m deeply sorry to all Basque and Spanish listeners for any mistakes, as they were certainly not deliberate. I believe that the message conveyed by a band like GURS holds equal weight to their musical output, and I deeply appreciate their choice to express themselves in their two local tongues, rather than pleasing a global English-speaking audience.

Gerran Bizi Gara was recorded and mixed by Lolo Ruiz at Corsarios Studios during the summer of 2023. Mastering was handled by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios in the United States. The cover art was created by Basque punk artist Aritz Aranburu and screen-printed by Ol’Dirty Hands in Brittany. The album is up for pre-order through Symphony of Destruction and is set to drop on vinyl come March 21. A must-have for fans of charged post-punk with an unapologetic hardcore fervor!

The band is also hitting the road again and you can find the tour poster below. So jealous of everyone who gets to see them live!

Source: diyconspiracy.net