Gouge Away is an American hardcore punk band based in Florida that formed in 2012.[1] The band is influenced by post-hardcore and noise rock bands such as The Jesus Lizard, Fugazi, Unwound, The Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower and Nirvana.[2] Gouge Away released its debut album , Dies in 2016 to underground acclaim, and released its second album Burnt Sugar through Deathwish Inc. in 2018.
Gouge Away | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US |
| Genres | Hardcore punk, punk rock, post-hardcore |
| Years active | 2012 (2012)–present |
| Labels | Deathwish, Secret Voice, Eighty-Sixed |
| Members | Christina Michelle Mick Ford Thomas Cantwell Tyler Forsythe Dylan Downey |
| Past members | Victor Skamiera Kotu Bajaj Peter Allen Zack Rogers |
| Website | gougeaway |
Gouge Away formed in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 2012. The following year, the band self-released a pair of EPs (Still Bored and Focus Your Anger) and toured in support of local charities and activist groups.[3]
The band released its debut album titled , Dies on February 13, 2016 through Eighty-Sixed Records. Jeremy Bolm of Touché Amoré personally invited Gouge Away to tour with them and Ceremony.[4] During this time, the band also toured with G.L.O.S.S. and Paint It Black.[5][6] BrooklynVegan ranked , Dies at number 17 on their "The 20 Best Emo/Punk Albums of 2016" list,[7] while Vice magazine's music blog Noisey called it one of the "37 Best Overlooked Albums of 2016".[8] In his write-up about Gouge Away for the article, Noisey journalist Dan Ozzi said the album, "wears its politics proudly on its sleeve, with Michelle's lyrics staunchly taking a stand against animal testing, police brutality, and social injustice. The type of hardcore that Gouge Away plays might not be en vogue these days, but it damn well should be."[8]
In April 2017, Gouge Away released the single "Swallow" b/w "Sweat".[5] It was released through Bolm's own Secret Voice Records, itself an imprint of Deathwish Inc. Michelle has said this was the release that helped define the band's personality.[2] Gouge Away opened for Touché Amoré and Single Mothers for a September–October 2017 US tour.[9]
Gouge Away announced its signing to Deathwish in March 2018.[4] Label co-founder Tre McCarthy made the decision to sign the band after seeing them perform with Touché Amoré in Philadelphia.[4] The band's second studio album, Burnt Sugar, was released on September 28, 2018 and was co-produced by Bolm with mixing by Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Comadre, Punch). Michelle says they made music that was more dynamic with this release.[2] Gouge Away began promoting Burnt Sugar with a pair of music videos for the tracks "Only Friend" and "Ghost" in August 2018.[10][11] About the track "Ghost", John Hill of Revolver wrote: "It's the band's catchiest work to date, showing they have just as much of a talent for anthemic Nineties-harkening alt-rock as they do total rippers."[11] To support the album, Gouge Away toured the US and Europe with Culture Abuse from September to October 2018, followed by a leg with Drug Church in the US from November to December 2018.[12]