Neil ‘The Dark Cookie’ Cook checks out the album from Manchesters hardcore/crossover heavy hitters Guilt Trip!

I find judging this book by the cover is deceptive.  Personally I would not have equated the biblical image of good (depicted by an Angel) having at it with the Devil and winning with the very modern, visceral and angry, neck-snapping barrage of Crossover – Metal – Hardcore vitriol.  So do not be fooled, this isn’t at all what I was expecting hidden behind such an image.

And boy and what we have here is something slightly outside of my usual wheelhouse, and as I’ve said before I do like to be challenged by the music I review for UK Thrashers, it expands my horizons and give me a chance to dig beyond what I would normally listen to.

And with “Severance”, GUILT TRIP manage to do that. Not their first rodeo, “Unrelenting Force” came out in 2016, various tours and an appearance at proper Metal’s spiritual home Bloodstock in 2022, shows this band from Manchester are the real underground deal.  

First listen and their sound reminded me of a band I have come to like a lot after seeing them with ANTHRAX last year, SWORN ENEMY.  In places the guitar sound was similar, which was my initial hook, but by far the only one.  Everything here is short and lean, not an ounce of flab, but this does not mean GUILT TRIP are a one trick pony either.  They have more than one gear, “Broken Wings” (Ah! The cover image makes more sense if you give this one a good listen) “Hell Will Replace The Rain” and “Dusk” illustrate this to a tee.  There is also plenty of punk-laden anger on display like “The Gates” (If RATM were a crossover-thrash band this is what they would sound like!) and then you get a haunting instrumental interlude like “Reaching Paradise” which leads in mid-paced mosher in “Tearing Life Away”.

The opening triple threat of “Fallen At My Feet”, “Surrounded By Pain” and “Eyes Wide Shut” though for me are the album at its angriest best, and tell you everything you need to know.

Feck it there isn’t a flaccid filler on the album, and we’ve not even mentioned the title track “Severance”, which I think is what happens if the listened indulges in a bit too much headbanging whilst listening to this collection of songs, head from neck that is!  And it is a bloody good song at that!

I friggin liked this! ‘nuff said.

Guilt Trip, Severance is released on the 22nd September via MLVLTD