Concert Review: Gutalax (2025, Istanbul)

Published by Doruk Atay at 14 February 2025

Before the Concert: Behind the Scenes of the Event

The concert was announced seven months in advance, initially with only Gutalax on the lineup. Hazardous was later added in early November.

When the show was first announced, I didn’t know much about Gutalax. My friend Yuşa from Solo Craft, who was part of the organizing team, told me they were a band with a solid following in their scene. After checking them out, I had some doubts about what to expect.

Gutalax’s themes and concepts were undeniably funny and intriguing. However, after listening to a few songs on Spotify, I found their music quite repetitive. While I was familiar with grindcore and didn’t dislike the genre, the fact that many of their songs sounded similar made it hard for me to get into them before the concert.

On the other hand, I knew Hazardous much better. Since they were close friends of mine from the local scene, I was honestly more excited about their set.

Gutalax Arrives in Istanbul: First Impressions

The Gutalax crew arrived in Istanbul the day before the show, landing at Sabiha Gökçen Airport before heading to their hotel in Sultanahmet. They had expressed their wish to spend the day resting rather than sightseeing. The bad weather also made it easier for us to skip any touristic activities.

The next day, I met up with Yuşa around noon to take care of the final technical preparations before heading to Taksim Dorock Heavy Metal Club. We dropped off the Peavey amp, which the band had specifically requested, and then drove to Sultanahmet to pick them up.

When I first met the band members, Martin, the vocalist, stood out with his positive and approachable personality. None of the Gutalax members had any kind of rockstar attitude; in fact, they were super down-to-earth. However, Martin’s experience in the music industry was clear—he was direct, communicative, and incredibly friendly.

Concert Day: Hazardous Ignites the Fire

After arriving at the venue, the band set up their merch stand and prepared for the show. When they pulled out their freshly packed white jumpsuits, I immediately felt like we were about to experience something special.

After soundchecks were done, we started waiting for Hazardous to take the stage for the opening set. Since the first day was completely sold out, many people had already entered the venue even before the soundcheck was over. Those waiting on the venue’s terrace had to stay there until the check was done. Once everyone moved downstairs, the atmosphere turned into a high-energy concert setting.

Hazardous kicked off the night with their explosive energy, starting their set with Hellspawn. Having released one EP and two singles so far, they performed both new songs from their upcoming album and fan-favorite classics.

Their thrashing performance of Killing Hour became one of the night’s most intense moments. Unlike many other local bands, Hazardous has an outstanding level of chemistry and synergy on stage. Their passion for thrash metal was undeniable, and the energy they put into their performance made it even more powerful.

Gutalax Takes the Stage: The Toilet Paper Storm Begins!

After Hazardous wrapped up their set, Gutalax made their final preparations backstage. They seemed super relaxed and cheerful, showing no signs of nerves—probably thanks to the heavy beer intake!

As their intro music played, the band members quickly put on their white stage outfits and got into position. We wished them luck and sent them off to the stage.

From the very first song, Assmeralda, the energy explosion and the toilet paper storm took over the venue. After that, Shit of it All and Buttmann kept the momentum going, as Gutalax completely took control of the crowd.

Crowd Interaction: A Metal Concert That Felt Like a Party!

What made Gutalax’s show unique was that it didn’t feel like a typical metal concert—it felt more like a chaotic, wild party.

People jumped on stage, danced, did stage dives, and tried crowd surfing like they were at a festival.

Martin Matousek, the frontman, was a true entertainer. He constantly interacted with the audience, cracking jokes, engaging in playful moments with the other band members, and at times, it felt like we were watching a stand-up comedy show.

The band also had their own unique sense of humor. Before playing Robocock, Martin introduced the bassist Pavel, joking about why they called him “Kebab”, which had everyone cracking up.

Day Two: Hazardous and Gutalax Return to the Stage

As soon as doors opened, the venue started filling up again. The original plan was to have Glabrezu open for the second night, but due to unexpected circumstances, Hazardous stepped up once again.

Despite playing the same setlist, they delivered an equally energetic performance, this time to an audience that was less familiar with thrash metal.

Although the second night had a slightly smaller crowd, Gutalax still delivered an insane show. The audience kept up the high energy levels, and we saw plenty of familiar faces from the night before.

After the Show: Backstage and Saying Goodbye

After the set, Gutalax headed backstage to enjoy their well-earned beers. Despite the crowd in the dressing room, they didn’t seem bothered and happily took photos with fans and the crew.

Later, we took them to a nearby kebab place near their hotel. They loved the food, and the friendly attitude of the waiters made their experience even better.

The next morning, we met up again to get them to the airport. On the way, Pavel’s bass case was checked by airport security, and we all had a good laugh when we saw he had stuffed it with Turkish coffee and fruit tea.

Final Thoughts: Gutalax Left a Huge Mark on Istanbul

Gutalax’s Istanbul adventure came to an end, but they left behind a lasting impression. With their insane live performance, hilarious stage presence, and great audience interaction, they won over Turkish metalheads in just two days.

One thing is certain—next time they come back, the crowd will be bigger, louder, and even more prepared!