Boulder heavy music outfit Gaunt stopped by KGNU’s Smash It Back! to talk about their latest release, a two-song single featuring “White Feeder Killer” and “Snuff Film.” The band discussed the evolution of their sound, leaning into heavier influences while maintaining the atmospheric elements heard in earlier releases.
During the interview, the members shared stories from a recent show at Unit 5, discussed the writing and sampling process behind “Snuff Film,” and previewed upcoming performances, including shows at Ante Up and a return to Unit 5 later this summer. Listen to the conversation and hear “Snuff Film” in the studio session. (Air Date 6/5/26).
Listen to the interview here:
Transcript:
Jack Armstrong: It’s time now. Hi, I’m Jack here at the KGNU studios, 88.5 FM. This is Smash It Back, and I have Gaunt in the studio with me. Can you guys say hi?
Gaunt: Hi!
Jack Armstrong: Everybody scream.
Gaunt: Scream!
Jack Armstrong: All right. I like that one. That was good. I’m only going to ask for that one more time.
Gaunt: Okay, bet.
Jack Armstrong: Do it again.
Gaunt: Aaaaah!
Jack Armstrong: All right. You guys just played a show at Unit 5. How do you feel?
Gaunt: That was one of the best shows we’ve played in a while. It was really awesome.
Gaunt: Amazing.
Jack Armstrong: You guys always seem to bring out a crowd. People go crazy for you—stage diving and all that. Has it always been that way?
Gaunt: Our first show was pretty good. It definitely goes back and forth. We don’t have a huge crowd at every show, but one thing we do consistently well is get people moving regardless of the crowd size. That’s a big thing.
Jack Armstrong: Something I’ve heard in this scene is that the kiss of death for a band is playing Mo’s BBQ in Englewood. Do you think you could still rock if you played Mo’s BBQ?
Gaunt: That’s a tough one.
Gaunt: How much free barbecue do I get?
Jack Armstrong: No, it’s the crowd. They don’t have a crowd.
Gaunt: Absolutely. One hundred percent.
Gaunt: I’ve rocked a crowd at Mo’s BBQ. That was lit.
Jack Armstrong: Tell me about it.
Gaunt: It was good. The food’s all right. It’s a bar. A bar’s a bar.
Jack Armstrong: Tell me about this new music. You had two singles come out today?
Gaunt: Yeah, two singles. Kind of a split-single release.
Jack Armstrong: Before we get further into that, let’s back it up a bit and introduce yourselves.
Gaunt: We’re Shay on drums, TV on bass, Bones on guitar, and Coltrane on vocals and songwriting.
Jack Armstrong: All right. Tell me about the latest release.
Gaunt: A big part of releasing “White Feeder Killer” and “Snuff Film” is that they’re among our heaviest songs, especially “White Feeder Killer.” That’s not the one you’re going to hear today, but if you’re interested after listening to today’s track, it’s probably still the heaviest song we play live.
It’s exciting to get that side of the band out there because a lot of our recent releases have been slower and more atmospheric.
Gaunt: It’s all cool stuff, but these two songs kind of slap you in the face. They both have a really cool trap influence.
Jack Armstrong: Sweet. Tell me a little more about the writing of “Snuff Film.”
Gaunt: I wrote that maybe more than a year ago. I was looking around on YouTube and found some discussion about Marilyn Manson lost media. There was a movie that’s rumored to exist, and I found a clip that had some really strange audio. I sampled part of it, built a track around it, programmed some drums, and developed the song from there.
Jack Armstrong: Was that the sample you use in the song? There’s also the one in “Burner.” Is that you talking?
Gaunt: No, that’s Longmont Potion Castle.
Jack Armstrong: Okay.
Gaunt: That’s a deep cut. Longmont Potion Castle is an old prank caller who started in Longmont and later moved around Texas and Los Angeles. He made some of the wildest prank-call recordings ever. I like sampling him because I’m from Longmont too, and I think his recordings are some of the funniest samples in the world.
Jack Armstrong: Any other acknowledgments before we listen to this?
Gaunt: We should clarify that the sample for “Snuff Film” is not from a real snuff film.
Gaunt: It’s based on a rumored film called “Groupie.”
Gaunt: Everyone connected to it has denied that it’s a real snuff film. No one actually died.
Jack Armstrong: All right. Let’s listen to “Snuff Film” by Gaunt.
[Song plays]
Jack Armstrong: Smash It Back. I’m Jack Armstrong. You’re not.
Gaunt: You’re not.
Jack Armstrong: Liar, liar, liar.
Gaunt is still here. Hooray. Everybody scream again.
Gaunt: Woo!
Jack Armstrong: We have fun here.
Last thing before Bull Market comes on: what else is coming up for you guys? Future projects? Upcoming shows?
Gaunt: There’s a lot going on. If you want to see us live, we’re playing at Ante Up next Saturday. That’s going to be great. There are a lot of really sick bands playing with us that night.
We’ve also got a lot happening musically. There will probably be more singles coming out, and we’re potentially starting work on an album soon. There may also be some mixtapes in the future.
You can find all of that information on our Instagram, @gauntposse. We’re also on Spotify, Apple Music, and everywhere else.
Jack Armstrong: Anything else to add?
Gaunt: August 22 we’ll be returning to Unit 5 with a band from Albuquerque called Music Is the Enemy, or MITE. If you’re in the Boulder area, come out for that.
Jack Armstrong: Hoping to pack it out?
Gaunt: Absolutely.
Jack Armstrong: We’re getting some MITE in Boulder. Sweet. Gaunt, thank you so much for hanging out with me.
Gaunt: Thank you, Jack.
Jack Armstrong: One more scream from everybody.
Gaunt: Aaaaah!
Jack Armstrong: Man, we’re breaking the speakers tonight.
