The term “heavy” is most often associated with Metal. But Metal is not the only genre of music capable of invoking heaviness. Of all the other genres capable of tapping into heaviness, synthwave is not going to be first on the list.
Prophecy finds James Lollar using the Gost moniker to create a very sonically intense piece of work. The album focuses on themes of the apocalypse and Satan. You might read reviews where this album is called Industrial. It’s not, though Lollar’s Metal Blade Records debut makes an honest effort to earn his place on the label by creating songs that pack a punch.
There might be an Industrial influence to some of the more pounding moments, but there are moments where things go in an equally dark wave or aggrotech direction.
The heart of this album finds the emphasis always returning to the eighties-tinged synth grooves. Tollar offsets them using metallic elements such as the often shrieked vocals that are not far removed from what Psyclon 9 does. There is a cinematic feel to the pulse-quickening tempos that are arranged in a more labyrinthine manner than what you might expect from something guided by programmed drums.
“Temple Of Tears” takes a darker turn that is not too far removed from the neon wasteland occupied by projects like Perturbator. There are moodier variations to the synth-wave assault with “Decadent Decay” taking on a goth-nite feel, with the more textured darkwave-minded despondence.
He continues to press further into the shadows for “Widow Song”. Here the vocals switch over into a lower baritone moan, rather than the more screamed metallic vocal that is prevalent on this album.
The satanic theme is just used as window dressing for “Galgotha”. As a song this proves more effective than the harsher synth noise you are jerked into on “ Digital Death”. Though even then it is an understandable shift in sonic focus to paint a more horrific portrait of humanity’s end.
With this album, he takes his chances to dig into the more experimental realms frequented by the likes of Skinny Puppy. The pitch-shifted vocals are effective in creating a creepier narrative voice before things take a turn in a more blackened direction.
The album closes with the drama of a horror movie soundtrack before ebbing down into ambiance, before he circles back around to a more up-tempo groove. The grooves are where this album excels.
The heavier mood of this album is most effective when focused on the darkness. Tollar is an excellent songwriter who never overextends his grasp in this regard. Despite the album cover he is not trying to make a Mayhem album, but is creating a sound that matches the darker nature of the last days of the world around him.
While he excels at the more dystopian sound, for my tastes he could have more fully committed to the Satanic side of the vibe he was creating, but most things in the world could be more draped in horror and Satan, why wait for Halloween?
If you love Synthwave, but wish it was more evil-sounding then this album is what you have been waiting for.
Buy the album here:
https://www.metalblade.com/gost/
9 / 10
WIL CIFER