AM: FM (Blackmage Records) finds Ghostemane’s brand of dark Trap Rap further blurring the lines into Nu-Metal. The opening track finds the crunch of late-nineties Metal guitars churning as guitar and sung vocals that fluctuate between a Chino-like whisper and a Johnathan Davis roar. This feels fresher since it’s not 1998, and unlike many of the nu-metal revival bands, it’s not trying to also make Metalcore Pop that pleases the kids. The more rapped verses of a song like “Miasma” are where Ghostemane (a.k.a. Eric Thomas John Whitney, Eric Ghoste, etc.) is the strongest. It is unlikely that the hip-hop community is ever going to be ready for what he does, so thankfully he is heavy and dark enough to appeal to metal fans with a broader perspective. Continue reading →