Tag Archives: Ghostcult Magazine

ALBUM REVIEW: Upon Stone – Dead Mother Moon

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Look alive kids, it’s time for America’s favorite game: initial impressions. Not going to lie, there was some editorial concern when noticing the album art for Upon Stone’s Dead Mother Moon (Century Media). When presented with an image depicting an armored warrior with broadsword in hand and the full moon lighting him from behind, I had some thoughts. Worst case scenario is this is some Dungeons & Dragons inspired Power Metal nonsense. Best case scenario, it’s very Castlevania by way of airbrushed art on the side of a van.Continue reading →


LIVESTREAM REVIEW: Staind –  ”Break The Cycle” 

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To some music lovers, the music of a certain artist can become almost like the soundtrack to their life. A specific song can act as a time portal whisking a person back in time to a specific moment. In terms of bands whose music causes spontaneous bouts of nostalgia, few bands can hold a candle to the band Staind. The reactions of fans as they watched the live stream of Staind’s 20th Anniversary Performance of Break the Cycle alone are a testament to this. One week after streaming the reunion show of their greatest hits, Aaron Lewis along with guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist Johnny April and drummer Sal Giancarelli delivered a live stream that far exceeded any expectations, playing the band’s 2001 mind-blowing, unparalleled album, Break The Cycle (Flip Records) live in its entirety.  Continue reading →


ALBUM REVIEW: Tetrarch – Unstable

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In this day and age, it can be a daunting task for Heavy Metal music fans to decide what music to purchase due to the influx of new music available. Thank goodness there are bands like Heavy Metal powerhouse Tetrarch whose music never disappoints and is always the right choice. The band’s second full-length studio album, and first for Napalm Records, Unstable, unleashing ten tracks of mind-blowing Metal.

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EP REVIEW: Wednesday 13 – Necrophaze Antidote

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Let’s just face facts, the past year has been grueling. The pandemic affected the human race tremendously, changing life on earth. Musicians, of all genres, have started to release music they made during the shutdown of everything everywhere, and most of it echoes the angst of being on lockdown. Enter Wednesday 13’s newest release, Necrophaze, Antidote (Nuclear Blast). Although the songs were recorded during the recording of Necrophaze (Nuclear Blast), the four tracks were a welcome reprieve from the current melancholy atmosphere of the music industry.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Chevelle – NIRATIAS

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It is no secret that in the world of the music industry creating a unique signature sound is generally first on the list of goals for fledgling bands. Few bands have a sound that is as instantly recognizable as the music of Pete and Sam Loeffler, otherwise known as Chevelle. The long-awaited ninth studio album, NIRATIAS (Epic Records) dropped this week, and good golly miss molly, the brothers Loeffler do not disappoint.

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ALBUM REVIEW: The Pretty Reckless-Death By Rock And Roll

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Motivational speaker John C. Maxwell once said Change is inevitable, growth is optional. In the world of Rock and Roll, an artist must embrace change and allow their music to evolve. Case in point, The Pretty Reckless released their fourth studio album this month, Death By Rock And Roll (Fearless Records) and it is glaringly apparent the band is not just embracing change but giving it a big ole bear hug. The twelve-track album is tinged with the ghosts of the tragic events that the band has experienced since their last studio album, 2016’s Who You Selling for (Razor & Tie).  Continue reading →


LIVE REVIEW: Cold: Live at Fine Line, Minneapolis, Minnesota

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I can still remember the very moment the band Cold came hurtling into my atmosphere like a brilliant meteor, hell-bent on causing upheaval. Scooter Ward and his musical cohorts were the direct support band for the St. Louis, Missouri Industrial band, Gravity Kills. Cold, with their first studio album, just released, was still flying under the radar as far as getting mainstream exposure and radio play. The small venue in La Crosse, Wisconsin was sold-out on that balmy summer evening. I was unaware of how my life would be altered forever by a band I had never even heard of when I walked into that venue.Continue reading →


Spread Eagle – Subway To The Stars

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I love Metal music, my name is Skullgurl Metalchick after all. Full disclosure, I am still a sucker for the music of the Glam Metal days. The sub-genre had many aliases, Hair- Metal, Cock Rock, Bubble Gum Rock, depending on who you ask. The last couple of years there has been a renewed interest in the bands of the era of hair, I call it Nostalgia Rock. The headbangers of the 1980s now have 401ks, disposable incomes and the silent yearning to connect with the carefree days of youth. In all reality, most of these bands, are content to do some festivals and then go back to their own suburban democracy. Then there are bands like Spread Eagle, that did not go gentle into that good night of musical obscurity. Spread Eagle continues to make their music tantalizingly relevant with the release of their newest studio album, Subway To The Stars (Frontiers Srl).Continue reading →


SINthetik Messiah – Black Sheep

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My mother always told me to not judge a book by its cover. I have always tried to heed the words of my wise Madre’, but sometimes in doing music reviews I consign to oblivion that idiom. Case in point, when my editor sent me the new single by SINthetik Messiah, Black Sheep, I was tad incredulous. My feelings stemmed from seeing the heading on the Soundcloud link, #cajun industrial bass. I had never, in all my Skullgurl years, have encountered a musical group described as this. I started reading the bands press release, and SINthetic Messiah is described as Cajun electronic/industrial bass there also. Well, slap my fanny and call me fancy, I had just been given the gift of a brand new musical experience.Continue reading →


Motionless In White – Disguise

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Ask any Metal music lover that has attended any of the big music festivals in the past nine or so years, and they will most likely tell you they have seen a set or two of Motionless in White. It is safe to say that even most fans of modern Metal at least know the name Motionless in White. Since the band’s initial inception in 2005, the music world has witnessed the metamorphosis of MIW from a raw, unbridled, raging embryo to the cataclysmic musical force evident on the band’s latest album, Disguise (Roadrunner Records). Continue reading →