The Official Ghost Cult Writers Albums of the Year Top 50: 30-21

Posted on December 4, 2014 by Steve Tovey

The countdown to the Official Ghost Cult Magazine Album of the Year for 2014 continues. Please consume and enjoy the results of our 2014 Writers’ Poll. We hope it will introduce you to some of the incredible works of art you may have missed that we have had the immense pleasure of listening to and writing about this year.

In our third installment we bring you albums 30 through to 21

30. CASUALTIES OF COOL – Casualties Of Cool (Pledge/HevyDevy)

“Casualties of Cool is an intriguing experiment from a man who excels in making left-field music. Go in expecting massive a prog-metal exercise will only lead to disappointment, but having an open mind will result in a rewarding experience” DAN SWINHOE 8/10 Full review here

29. ANATHEMA – Distant Satellites (KScope)

“One of our world’s most understated bands, despite the plaudits they get, Anathema have once again showcased their knack for penning both forward thinking and emotionally driven music which oozes real human character and sentimentality”. CHRIS TIPPELL 9/10 Full review here

28. DOWN – IV (Part II) (Down Records)

“When we look back on this part of their career, we will likely understand that these are less like regular EPs that other bands release, and much more like a mini-opus, in pieces. Down clearly realizes their collective vision, no matter who is in the lineup, every time”. KEITH ‘KEEFY’ CHACHKES 9.5/10 Full review here

27. VALLENFYRE – Splinters (Century Media)

“Sadistic and aggressive with endless moments of bleak reflection Splinters is a leviathan unleashed upon unsuspecting listeners and a release surely destined to grace many year end lists” ROSS BAKER 9/10 Full review here

26. AGALLOCH – “The Serpent and the Sphere” (Profound Lore)

Like a massive-antlered stag glimpsed amidst a wintry landscape, breathtaking, elusive and hard to pin down, The Serpent and the Sphere looks set to continue their elegant and ever-evolving legacy JAMES CONWAY 9/10 Full review here

25. THOU – Heathen (Gilead Media)

“A storm manifest as a piece of music, as devastating as it is awe-inspiring, Heathen is varied and compelling for the entire runtime”. TOM SAUNDERS 9/10 Full review here

24. septicflesh – Titan (Season of Mist)

“Sharp, buzzing riffs and symphonic keys, strength and brutality amongst moments of pomp and beauty, bloody entertaining and another show of form” PAUL QUINN 8.5/10 Full review here

23. PYRRHON – The Mother of Virtues (Relapse)

“The Mother Of Virtues doesn’t just challenge what is “extreme”, but calls into question whether some of what is produced is actually even music. Completely and utterly impenetrable, and exceptional with it”. STEVE TOVEY 9.5/10 Full review here

22. EYEHATEGOD – EyeHateGod (Housecore/Century Media)

“Eyehategod continue to age like a good whiskey, seeming to improve as time goes by, but by no means losing their sting”. CHRIS TIPPELL 9/10 Full review here

21. ALCEST – Shelter (Prophecy)

“Shedding the last vestiges of metal, let-alone any lingering black metal leanings, a captivating and stunning piece of music poured straight from the heart”. JAMES CONWAY 9/10 Full review here

Ghost Cult Magazine Albums of the Year: 50-41

Ghost Cult Magazine Albums of the Year: 40-31

Esoteric Youth – Pelle Åhman of In Solitude

Posted on November 19, 2014 by Steve Tovey

Ghost Cult last caught up with In Solitude at the start of the cycle for Sister (Metal Blade) when Gottfrid Åhman spoke about the musical developments and progressions that led to the critically acclaimed release. Closing up the circle, frontman Pelle Åhman opens up about introspection and the fundamental heart of the band…

“We were surprised how people have really taken us seriously and tried to grasp what we do. You can call it maturing but it feels like coming home to our roots. It is a very primal thing.” The lanky figure of In Solitude front man Pelle Åhman is sitting next to me wearing a Darkthrone long sleeve. He looks very much like a typical early twenty-something heavy metal fan. Yet spend any time in his company and you will quickly become aware that this tall, softly spoken Swede is anything but ‘typical’. “I love Gospel and Blues music as it is very simple. People singing these repetitive lyrics and clapping their hands on songs like ‘Jesus Make My Dying Bed’. They remind me of certain mantras in eastern religions. That dark and brooding form of prayer is very inspirational. These primitive forms of music have the same appeal to me as acts like Darkthrone.”

As the scent of incense sticks and pungent aroma of hash fills the air of the venue’s backstage area, talk turns to the band’s third album Sister (Metal Blade), a record which has brought many to lavish attention on the quartet. Influenced by the blues, country and the occult rock masters, Sister is a very mature record for such a young band. Åhman mused thoughtfully on its conception: “My family have a cabin north of Uppsala where I go to relax and write. It is very isolated. You can’t get any phone signal up there. I go there for the same reason the swami sit in caves and my uncle goes to fish; for refuge from this world. People need to have those places where they have peace and forgiveness. You are truly able to start over because you cannot be bombarded with information the way you are when are in a big city. When I go up there it is like I get baptised.”

Seeking sanctuary in isolation may be nothing new but in an age where everyone is posting an update online regarding what they, eat, drink and think all in the public domain it is hard not to admire this young man’s steadfast resistance to the status quo. “You can be introspective and get a sense of how things are,” Pelle muses. “People have lost that now. Social media allows people to present a false sense of who they are. Look at the way people update their status on Facebook! They feel they need to be seen and heard all the time when they aren’t doing much at all. People have become frightened of introspection. They see it as a negative thing but we heartily embrace it. When I am at home I love to get away from all of this. You cannot check your email at our cabin. I enjoy meeting people and seeing different places when I am on tour but when it all stops I may not come back!”

The stylistic shift Sister took from its more overtly metallic predecessor The World. The Flesh. The Devil. (Metal Blade) may have been surprising to some but for Pelle, this was a natural part of the band’s evolution. “The World. The Flesh. The Devil. is a good album but not long after it we realised how we could define our sound. In retrospect I think we were looking for a certain atmosphere with that record which really came to life on Sister. How next album will take shape yet is unclear but we have begun piecing the fragments together”.

Despite their tender years, In Solitude have already been a unit in one form or another for over a decade. So many acts come together later in life that we forget there are still a few prodigious talents which were reared together. The Åhman brothers on vocals and guitar may be the main driving force behind the group’s creative process, but Pelle is insistent that it is the collective which makes In Solitude what they are. “We definitely have a gang mentality. We played together since we were eleven. Our drummer and I have been friends since we were very young. Our parents knew each other before we were born! I think we all found our identity in this group. We constantly spend time together walking in the woods but when we write we all disappear to our own corner and bring ideas back to the group. When I look at my life from afar it is strange to see how we have developed. It is a very natural and creative place for all of us. We replaced Mattias (Gustavsson, bass) the last time which worked because we did not understand each other to the degree we do now. I think if we were to lose a member of this band then it would cease to exist as we need each other for this to work.”

Speaking to Åhman, his unwavering conviction and commitment to this tight knit unit couldn’t be any more apparent. Conjuring up romantic notions of walking in the woods of Sweden side by side with his brothers in arms, Åhman does at no point sound trite or sentimental when it comes to discussion of In Solitude and their craft. Talk then turns to the inspiration for the opening track from Sister, ‘He Comes’. On the face of it this is another proclamation of Lucifer’s power but once again there is more to it than meets the eye. “Gottfrid had written this song with just a tambourine and acoustic guitar. It was going to be a big electric rock song at some point but it had an energy about it all its own. The lyrics were a poem I had written. The song really concerns all of us (in the band) – we wrote the song with me playing one note on piano and the guys were playing percussion on their guitar cases. The Devil inspires me more than ever before! He is the one that stands upon the threshold of things. My vocabulary has evolved but his influence is more important than ever!”

In Solitude on Facebook

ROSS BAKER

In Solitude – Beastmilk – Obnoxious Youth: Live at Sound Control Manchester, UK

Posted on November 12, 2014 by News Team

A wet and inhospitable Saturday sees occult Swedes In Solitude roll into town bringing with them the scent of incense and apocalyptic Gothic post punk act Beastmilk in tow. Kvost’s deep rich speaking voice gives way to a powerful howl. The “Superstition” wins over the few early arrivals which tear themselves away from the bar.

Before the vespertine delights of Scandinavia are opened to us we get a change of pace in the form of Daniel Bay. Stepping into the breach for punk Obnoxious Youth, Bay delivers heart felt gothic rock which has more appeal than just his Lost Boys chic torn jeans and frizzy hair.

The charismatic Mat McNerney leads the newly expanded Beastmilk, including recent recruit Linnea Olsson (formerly of The Oath) through a masterful performance. The man known to many as ‘Kvohst’ is a leviathan master of ceremonies, introducing each song with a quick witted remark before unleashing his distinctive croon. Olsson oozes charisma with the extra fire power having added a new depth to the band’s sound. The raunchy ‘Void Mother’ and a stunning ‘Nuclear Winter’ inspire manic dancing at the front of the stage with many punters as keen to see the apocalyptic rockers as the headline act.

Lilies adorn the stage and the smell of incense fills the air as In Solitude begin their energetic set. Pelle Ahman possesses the air Nick Cave back in his days in The Birthday Party. Throughout tonight’s ten song set the quartet combine a youthful vigour with impressive stagecraft and dynamite songs. ‘Death Knows Where’ and ‘Lavender’ are soaring paeans to ‘Lucifer’ funelled through classic rock and blues with a visceral punk aesthetic.

Witnessing In Solitude perform, you can instantly recognise the chemistry the members have built from beginning life in their tender years. The maturity and atmosphere in songs like the all-consuming ‘He Comes’ has the audience in rapture. Still only in their early twenties, if the momentum they have built on latest album Sister (Metal Blade) is any indication, they will be a force for many years to come.

In Solitude on Facebook

Beastmilk on Facebook

Obnoxious Youth on Facebook

WORDS ROSS BAKER

PHOTOS BY LUKE DENHAM PHOTOGRAPHY

Electric Wizard – Satan’s Satyrs – Shazzula – Witchsorrow: Live at The Ritz, Manchester UK

Posted on November 6, 2014 by News Team

Witchsorrow play to a sparse crowd, but still manage to kick up a storm. Nick Ruskell churns out barbaric slabs of distortion while bassist Emily and drummer David make a perfect partnership in more ways than one. Rivalling Jus Oborn and Liz Buckingham’s partnership in manner in which they communicate so exquisitely with each other.

This powerful compact performance is more than Shazzula can muster. Solo member atmospheric drone doom projects can prove tricky to translate in the live arena and while the accompanying feature film on the back screen helps provide the nocturnal 70s horror ambience this lady is looking for one the organ subsides it is clear that fiddling with an effects unit fails to conjure up hideously introspective feelings of foreboding. In more intimate surrounding this may prove more effective but for now this is a languid trip that few are buying into.

Satan’s Satyrs fully embrace their occult metal heritage featuring vocals very reminiscent of Ozzy Osbourne. ‘Show Me Your Skull’ has some ballsy riffs but other than that there are not a great deal of hooks to draw you in.

Eerie sound of thunder and the garish projections fill the stage as ‘Witchcult Today’ announces the arrival of Dorset’s Electric Wizard. The second departure of sticksman Tim Bagshaw and subsequent reintroduction of Simon Poole sees a tighter more efficient outfit which should hope to dispel recent memories of sloppy performances.

For the most part the set flows like molten lava; relentless and constant. Material from new opus Time To Die (Spinefarm) is consistent with the band’s early work, mining the depths of paranoia and subterfuge to compelling effect. Enveloped by a cloak of Hammer Horror psychedelia Wizard are at times mesmerising yet the cavernous venue doesn’t seem prepared for the bombastic showing with tonight’s set being quieter than some of their recent outings.

While the wheels don’t come off tonight, we don’t escape a snafu in the sound department when Jus Oborn’s amp blows up during ‘Funeralopolis’. Luckily Nick Ruskell is on hand to supply his equipment, but Oborn looks pissed off at this slight interruption. Soon enough the black tar riffage cut through the PA allowing the show to be brought to a cathartic climax. Not the triumph the band would have hoped for but in places Wizard showed capable of transfixing an audience who shall surely be ushered into their loyal Supercoven.

Electric Wizard on Facebook

Satan’s Satyrs on Facebook

Shazzula on Facebook

Witchsorrow on Facebook

WORDS: ROSS BAKER

PHOTOS: LUKE DENHAM PHOTOGRAPHY

Hope in Melancholy – Guðmundur Óli Pálmason of Sólstafir

Posted on October 28, 2014 by News Team

Emanating from the nucleus of the nascent Black Metal scene, Iceland’s Sólstafir has never been the type of act to be pigeonholed in a genre or tied to a movement. Proudly sporting influences ranging as wide as Darkthrone, Goth stalwarts Fields Of The Nephilim and The Smashing Pumpkins, drummer Guðmundur Óli Pálmason gave us insight into what makes this bold outfit tick. “Darkthrone has the raw energy and punk attitude, Fields of the Nephilim create the most beautiful, dark atmosphere and beautiful guitar melodies, and The Smashing Pumpkins have really influenced especially Addi’s guitar playing, the way he uses octaves for example.”

New album, Ótta (Season of Mist) blends all the bands aforementioned influences to create something which is truly transcendent of both genre limitations and the idea of being connected to any kind of ‘scene’. Based on an elaborate concept relating to the Icelandic timetable Eykt, Pálmason explains passionately how this ancient calendar inspired the new opus. ‘All the names of the songs are based on an Old Icelandic way to tell the time of day, called Eyktir. “Before people generally had clocks they’d estimate the time of day by the sun. In Iceland we’d divide the day into 8 parts, so each spanning roughly 3 modern hours. When Sæþór brought our attention to this old system we immediately realized it would make for a perfect theme for an album. The album starts at Lágnætti (Low Night) and continues through the night. Ótta is the time between 3 and 6 in the morning. Then it’s time to rise with the sun at Rismál, at Dagmál the day is fully begun. Miðdegi is midday and Nón is noon, although in this system noon is not at 12:00 sharp but rather the time between 3pm and 6pm. After that comes Miðaftan or mid-afternoon and finally Náttmál, or night time.”

The lyrics are loosely based on the different feelings of the different times of day. But the times of day are also different depending on the seasons. Some have a more wintery feeling, while others are more associated with summer. Considering their band name originates from the Icelandic word for the sun’s rays, this concept could not be any more fitting for the group.

Creating atmosphere and mood is clearly more a concern to these self-professed ‘Heathen cowboy bastards’. Ótta sees the band moving further away from the metallic elements but still with some great guitar work adding new textures and layers. The cinematic feel of spaghetti westerns characterised by the work of influential composer Ennio Morricone are recalled in Ótta’. Was this a conscious influence?

“Ennio Morricone has been a massive influence on us.’ Pálmason Confirmed. ‘Saepor brought in this hook that sounded like a country or bluegrass part. We laughed at first but when Addi tuned his guitar to A it really worked. We knew that was the moment it had to be played on the banjo. We checked the metal rule book 101 and that doesn’t mention you cannot use it in a metal song, so we did! I don’t think there is a limit to the instrumentation we can employ in this band. If we think it will benefit our music we will use it.”

Their unique culture has shaped Sólstafir’s output. The band remains resolutely against singing in anything other than their mother tongue having stated that to sing in English “Would be completely unnatural”. It is this determination to go against the grain, remaining faithful only to their own muse which has garnered the Icelandic act such a hallowed reputation. Recording in the remote area outside of Reykavík with Sigur Ros/Alcest producer Birgir Jon Bigirsson at the helm the album incorporates new elements such as strings and the aforementioned banjo to great effect. “We recorded in Sundlaugin which is a studio that Sigur Ros had converted from an old swimming pool. It has a little river running next to it and some trees. I think these beautiful picturesque surroundings really helped us make the album. We used a lot of different guitars and equipment we have not used before. The mix of old and new instruments really challenged us to push ourselves to the next level. we wanted to create a record that sounds timeless.’ Pálmason confirms that the band may admire other artists but he sees Solstafir has having little in common with other artists. ‘I think acts like Alcest have come from different directions from ourselves and continue to move further still. The one thing I see in common with acts like that is both acts try and develop our sound which each album.”

Indeed the bewitching string arrangements are an aspect which makes ‘Ótta’ such a wondrous journey. Pálmason explains how this development came about; “We have been wanting to use strings for a long time, but somehow there was never any need for them, so this time we were very conscious about leaving out some space for the strings. I must say the Amiina string quartet did an amazing job!”

Solstafir on Facebook

ROSS BAKER

Godflesh – A World Lit Only By Fire

Posted on October 13, 2014 by News Team

Throughout his career, Justin K. Broadrick has never been willing to compromise his artistic vision. From the beginning Godflesh laid the groundwork for everyone from Fear Factory to Isis, carving out harsh landscapes of metallic industrial noise steeped in the grim and filth of the Birmingham factories that surrounded them. Since the band’s hiatus from 2002 to 2010 Broadrick indulged his creative muse by lending his talents to ambient music (Final), Techno Animal (Hip Hop) and shoegazing post metal act Jesu.

A World Lit Only By Fire (Avalanche Records) is as bleak and apocalyptic as its title suggests. Swan song record Hymns may have used real drums and incorporated further melodies but this is the sound of Broadrick returning to the harrowing, coldness of old with just his old running mate G.C. Green and their trusty drum machine for company.

The crushing landscapes of Streetcleaner are recalled in the merciless dehumanised beats yet the harshness of the eight string guitar has taken this unforgiving creation an even blacker more disturbing feel.

While this approach will undoubtedly excite fans of the band’s early works this is no mere exercise in nostalgia. The use of eight string guitar has aided the development of the band’s penchant for dissonant minor key melodies strung out over visceral minimalist beats which drive the band’s point home perfectly.

The churning riffs of ‘Life Giver, Life Taker’ and ‘Carrion’ give whole new meaning to relentless nihilistic aggression harnessing the atmosphere of their earliest works while retaining a feel which is unmistakably contemporary.

No quarter is given through this punishing ten song assault. The brutal repetition and feeling of emptiness is embodied greatly on closer ‘Forgive Our Fathers’ where Broadrick alternates from drill sergeant brutal screams to wails of torment that echo true desperation in a way that is almost too close for comfort.

The momentum never lags throughout this fearsome monolith feeling urgent and vital throughout. It may be their first full length in thirteen years but every fibre of the bands DNA has mutated into an even more virulent strain of post-Sabbath paranoia whose icy claws cannot be escaped.

8/10

Godflesh on Facebook

ROSS BAKER

Black Tongue – Born Hanged/The Falsifier (Redux)

Posted on October 1, 2014 by News Team

Slithering from the cesspits of Hull, U.K. the members of Black Tongue plied their trade in grindcore acts before attempting to meld the dense atmospherics of Meshuggah and a touch of post metal atmospherics to their brutal death-core template.

It’s a formula which makes for some moments of impressive technicality but finds itself held back by a lack of invention. The songs are overly reliant on the inevitable beat down sections which in spite of their immense heaviness feel lumpen and lack inspiration.
A combination of both of Black Tongue’s first two releases (although with little to determine one song from the next you could be forgiven for being ignorant of that fact). The vocals are another bone of contention, switching between hardcore barks and deep pig growls they can be irritating as hell. Coupled with predictable songwriting this is a big obstacle to overcome just to enjoy the handful of Chaosphere riffs which have been liberally sprinkled throughout his release.

It is an incredibly heavy release in terms of tonality and certainly drummer Aaron is certainly no slouch, pounding his kit like his life depended on it. Yet the beat down sections are dragged out to the point of exhaustion when the old philosophy of “less is more” would have greatly enhanced their impact. The rigid adherence to lurching mid tempos over which promising melodies are quickly stifled only makes for a more frustrating experience.
Guest vocalist Martyr Defiled’s Matt Jones fails to add anything new with his contribution to the droning ‘Coma’ other than more macho chest beating with nothing to truly disturb, engage or provoke the listener. All of this is a great shame when you consider the menacing atmospherics that permeates ‘Voices’ a track that hints at what could be achieved if the band can escape the narrow confines of their suffocating sub-genre.

Brutal and claustrophobic will be adjectives thrown at this release, yet it is the restrictive nature of their muse which holds Black Tongue back from becoming just another black sheep in the death-core herd.

3/10

Black Tongue on Facebook

ROSS BAKER

Electric Wizard – Time To Die

Posted on September 24, 2014 by News Team

As Dorset’s premier exponents of unrelenting heaviness Electric Wizard have never had it easy. Those familiar with their monolithic dirges will be aware of the turmoil the band has undergone since its inception with more line-up changes since recording 2010’s ‘Black Masses’ with drummer Mark Greening entering and rapidly departing the fold due to more issues with substance abuse and a lengthy legal battle with former label Rise Above to say that Time To Die (Spinefarm) has undergone a difficult conception would be an understatement.

All the hallmarks of Wizard’s sound remain present yet there is definitely a feeling that some ideas have been recycled with some familiar patterns reoccurring. Satan and the Supercoven are reprised in the lyrics but this is one bad trip that’s hard to get out of.

An epic peon to infamous acid murderer Ricky Kasso who allegedly cut out his victims eyes in a drug induced satanic ritual back in June 1984. ‘Time To Die’ is a vicious and negative record which starts slowly but lures you into its murky depths. The sinister hallucinogenic organ work which permeates ‘Destroy Those Who Love God’ delivers all the nocturnal Lovecraftian evil with its fitting samples from documentary ‘The Devil Worshippers’ to good effect. ‘Funeral Of Your Mind’ drags you into the vortex with a nasty tumultuous riff and Jus Oborn’s anguished vocal lurking beneath the sea of feedback and percussion which producer Chris Fielding (Conan) has done a bang up job in retaining the feel of the bands early work while allowing for some of the greater tonal clarity the later work has enjoyed.

Trance inducing repetition has long been the bands calling card and the ethos of tune low, play slow and worship Satan is adhered to with rigid stoicism. The organ adds atmosphere to the oppressive terror on ‘Saturn Dethroned’ yet this is a fairly typical effort from Osborn and company which neither tarnishes their legacy nor will increase their ‘Witchcult’ greatly in size. A consistent album which falls short of reflecting the majesty of their live ceremonies.

untitled

7/10

Electric Wizard On Facebook

ROSS BAKER

Nick Oliveri’s Uncontrollable – Leave Me Alone

Posted on September 20, 2014 by News Team

Stoner rock firebrand Nick Oliveri is well versed in the art of reckless abandonment. Since his departure from Queens Of The Stone Age and Kyuss Lives! (Now Vista Chino) Oliveri has terrorised stages the word over playing bass with Cali punks Bl’ast and his raucous one man unplugged show.

‘Leave Me Alone’ see’s Nick in full stoner punk mode working through the full on rawk aspects of repertoire from the bar fight frenzy of ‘Human Cannonball’ to vicious barrage of ‘Come And You’re Gone’ which recalls the bombast of Turbonegro, Nick O grabs you and does not let go.

At a lean and trim nine songs ‘Uncontrollable’ does not mess around. There are no build up’s, excess jam sections save the somewhat pointless yet pretty acoustic segue way of ‘Leave Me Alone’ itself which soon gives way to the anarcho blast of ‘The Void’. It’s familiar territory but an approach which plays well to Nick’s strengths. Those familiar with his work as Mondo Generator will know what to expect. A pull-no-punches knock down drag out affair which provides plenty of shout along hooks.

Several of Nick’s mates have got it on the act too with Blag Dahlia of The Dwarves, Kyuss Lives! Bruno Fevery and Mötorhead’s Phil Campbell all putting in an appearance to support their good buddy and while the tempos tend to wonder off, this is grass roots punk rock with a true DIY ethos and real character.

Sure there is none of the pop nous of Nick’s work in QOTSA this is a blunt instrument by which stoner rock’s Oliver Reed delivers a sermon of true punk rock zeal.

Tailor-made for the live arena the album remains up-tempo save the mid paced riot of ‘Robot Man’ complete with sirens and lyrics referring to the swat team, perhaps a tongue-in-cheek reference to one of Nick’s more infamous brushes with the law of late when he held police at gunpoint from his home after a neighbour reported a disturbance at his residence.

Oliveri is a true hellraiser in the classic mould, but where his reputation for destruction may proceed him the bloke can pen some good tunes.

7/10

Nick Oliveri on Facebook

ROSS BAKER

Sonic Syndicate – Sonic Syndicate

Posted on September 4, 2014 by News Team

Firmly embedded in the melodic metal camp rubbing shoulders with the likes of All That Remains and Soilwork, Sonic Syndicate have built a career banging out derivative pap which callously lifts ideas from the leading lights of the genre. Opener ‘Day Of The Dead’ sum’s this up perfectly with its overly familiar heavy verse/melodic chorus approach. It’s that tried and tested “scream for the guys, sing for the girls” mantra which has allowed so much dross to masquerade as decent metal in the post-Killswitch Engage era.

Previous platter, 2010’s shambolic We Rule The Night was a step too far for many fans, abandoning the heavier elements for soulless sounds drenched in synthesisers and bad Nu Metal riffs. This fifth opus shows the Swedes trying desperately to claw back some credibility but they do so by aping their influences in so earnest a manner. Sonic Syndicate (Nuclear Blast) is at once a highly calculated release which is delivered in a lackadaisical “will this do?” fashion.

“I crave you but I fuckin’ hate you too” Nathan J. Biggs whines insincerely on the sickly sweet opener. Harking back to the “woe is me” self-pitying crap that should be left back in the 90s, such trite lyrics make Biggs sound like a frustrated school boy and only further diminish the quality of the songwriting.

An exception to this rule is ‘Before You Finally Break’ which greatly benefits from the appearance of Soilwork front man Björn “Speed” Strid although you have to wonder if he was tricked into thinking he was contributing to a session for his own band considering how much SS take from Strid’s crew.

Even more unpalatable is semi-ballad ‘So Addicted’, a dull as ditch-water slice of radio metal which begs to be accepted when a good clean headshot would put this lame duck out of its misery.

Failing miserably to recapture the aggression of their earlier works Sonic Syndicate is a cynical album full of weak, saccharine radio-rock which they attempt to bolster with generic Metalcore breakdowns and harsh vocals and is a deeply unsatisfying listening experience which will quickly be forgotten.

3.0/10.0

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ROSS BAKER

Ghost Cult Magazine

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Tag Archives: Ross Baker

The Official Ghost Cult Writers Albums of the Year Top 50: 30-21

Esoteric Youth – Pelle Åhman of In Solitude

In Solitude – Beastmilk – Obnoxious Youth: Live at Sound Control Manchester, UK

Electric Wizard – Satan’s Satyrs – Shazzula – Witchsorrow: Live at The Ritz, Manchester UK

Hope in Melancholy – Guðmundur Óli Pálmason of Sólstafir

Godflesh – A World Lit Only By Fire

Black Tongue – Born Hanged/The Falsifier (Redux)

Electric Wizard – Time To Die

Nick Oliveri’s Uncontrollable – Leave Me Alone

Sonic Syndicate – Sonic Syndicate