Life can sometimes feel like an endless battle upstream, paddling towards more mood-altering challenges and societal downfall. GOPHER’s debut album Tunnel Buddies is the perfect piece of party grind metal to place on the pendulum of life and let the fun outweigh the grim. With elderly men masks and song titles like “Does The Queen Queef?” and “Shopping Trollied,” it’s clear from the get-go that this album was made from a place of mates creating music and having an absolute blast. That energy courses through every track on the album with a playful mix of grind, slam, death, electro keys and sing-along worthy choruses.

If you’re thinking, “Shell, party metal just isn’t my thing,” I say to you, “how about adventurous genre mixing, blast beats, majestic guitar harmonics and vocals grittier than a tunnelling gopher’s fur coat?” It’s easy to be sceptical when the faces of the operation are disguised in floppy old men masks and go by the names “Ernie Bingo” and “Ned Smelly,” but this album is worth letting go of any preconceived ideas and letting GOPHER change the way you feel about the party in party metal.

The opening track “Op Shop Reject” initially gives the impression that you’re in for just another grimy grind album. Then the electro keys chime in and suddenly, it becomes a metal infomercial jingle followed closely by some food for the metal soul guitar harmonics. The chorus’ melody tunnels its way into your mind and like that stray cat you fed that one time, ain’t goin’ nowhere for quite some time.

“Chilli Man” is very synth heavy and a little overwhelming and lyrically, is one of the sillier songs on the album, so it most likely won’t win over the party metal sceptics. “Five Bucks A Day” is another track where the synth didn’t really win me over. Thankfully it’s followed by “Party In The Sky,” where the heavies, synth and riff carnage work harmoniously. It’s another catchy number that you will find yourself humming along to half way through.

“Seoul Hole” is a metal riff oasis. “Shopping Trollied” embodies a similar synth domination and silliness as “Chilli Man,” but I found it hilarious and wouldn’t shy away from singing along to it with a massive grin on my face. “Kupu Kupu Malam” made me feel like I was at an Alestorm concert, swinging my beer in the air, chanting with my buddies. “Rock And Chiko Roll” closes out the album solidifying the fact that GOPHER aren’t taking themselves too seriously, but at the same time are taking risks musically and creating something unlike anything circulating the Australian metal scene.

GOPHER expand their comedic value outside the walls of their album. On their socials you can find regular insights into the beer guzzling, lady charming, dart charfing antics of “Ernie Bingo” and “Ned Smelly,” as well as some outrageous interviews. For me, additional content that really tickles my funny bone always adds to the charm of a band and makes me grow more fond of them.

If you’re into 80’s synth, Dethklok vocals, Maggot King humorous lyrical style and Alestorm’s addictive choruses, then release yourself from the shackles of adulthood seriousness and burrow your way into Tunnel Buddies.