Part II

If you glanced at the musical year through a particular type of lens, you could be forgiven for thinking that it was a year when established acts reigned supreme. A fighting fit and positively rejuvenated Machine Head were on blistering form for their Bloodstone and Diamonds album, a massive statement of intent following the difficulties associated with the departure of their former bassist Adam Duce. A similarly creatively powered Robert Plant threw down several musical gauntlets to the naysayers, proving beyond any doubt that he remains the most creatively interesting of any of the members of his former alma mater. Plant’s love of life was equally matched by the stunning and jaw-dropping brilliance of Behemoth and their absurdly impressive The Satanist– an album that for all its dark subject matter was one of the most life-affirming records of the year. Nergal’s battle with cancer and the quite remarkable return were worth raising a glass or four too.

This battling of the odds, whether personal or collective, were themes that infused many of the year’s most interesting releases. The personal challenges of living in one of America’s most violent cities brought out a never less than fascinating album from Flint, Michigan’s King 810. Memoirs of a Murderer was a terrific album: diverse, harrowing, compelling. Solstafir’s Otta was pretty much in a class of its own: a soaring and often heartbreaking piece of dark melancholic beauty, it was a stunning step forward for the band and a reaffirmation that the narrative arc of an album remains a powerful medium of artistic expression. Decapitated’s Blood Mantra proved beyond any doubt (not that much existed anyway) that Vogg is a genius and that the Poles are the world’s best death metal band. Debate over. Against Me’s Transgender Dysphoria Blues took a challenging subject matter and infused it with such a level of personal intensity and honesty that it spent much of the year on my playlist, packed to its gunnels, as it was, with massive tune after massive tune.

Decapitated. Photo by Hillarie Jason Photography

Whilst these records were high peaks in a musical year, there were plenty of other quality aural presents for us, seemingly around every corner. English band Servers came out of the traps quickly at the start of the year with a blistering hard rock album that reminded everyone that albums should be all killer, no filler. Winterfylleth continued to cement their reputation as a black metal band with something to say and the equally impressive return of Fen and Primordial also underscored the richness of a genre. London’s Voices though took things to another level: a coruscating and unremittingly dark expose on London it was a proper ear opening. More please, gentlemen.

Opeth’s continuing levels of creative richness showed no sign of abating and whilst the death metal adherents might have baulked at the absence of any genuine Cookie Monster moments on their latest opus, the prog extravaganza of Pale Communion, they could hardly fault the quality of musicianship, songwriting and sheer bloody ambition which pervaded another great record from the Swedes. This writer’s personal thirst for hard rock with tunes was slaked by some excellent releases from Slash, Foo Fighters, Black Stone Cherry, Lionize and the properly promising Blues Pills. Outside of the world of heavy, there was also much aural pleasure to be derived from the likes of The War on Drugs, Sharon Van Etten, Manic Street Preachers, Springsteen, Gregory Porter. Oh, and the soundtrack to the Steven Soderbergh turn of the century hospital drama, The Knick, by his long term collaborator Cliff Martinez is all sorts of excellent.

So: plenty to choose from and plenty to get excited by. 2015 looks set to be another year of serious and seriously interesting records, if the schedules are anything to go by. So far, so lucky us. However, in examining the full state of the music industry, you are struck that it’s not all stadium shows and high roller lifestyles.

On the contrary, the reality for many of the bands that are supported and championed through our little part of the internet is that many struggle to make a living from the industry and each day can be a struggle. This is why at Ghost Cult we will continue to be hugely supportive and passionate about those bands that perhaps you haven’t yet come across or seen live. We’ll continue to champion the unheard ofs, the unsigned- not because there is a moral imperative but because the music they are creating is fearless, intrepid and downright brilliant and deserves a wider audience.

Championing the new and the underdogs: that seems like a terrific New Year’s resolution doesn’t it? Music, maestro, please…..

Happy New Year.

MAT DAVIES