MP3: Ghost Brigade - Horns
I was a little late to the game with Ghost Brigade's original 4-track demo, but once I finally got into it, I was stoked. Naturally, anticipation was high for the debut full-length "Guided by fire" which came out last month and I eagerly snatched up a copy as soon as I could. On the downside, and I'm not sure this is just familiarity speaking, the re-recorded demo tracks are definitely the early standouts. That's no terrible crime, but I was really hoping for something a bit more surprising. On the other hand, the rest of the record is plenty satisfying. The general formula remains the same: heavy, melancholic doom rock made more powerful by a killer lock-step rhythm section. Comparisons to Katatonia are inevitable, but I find that Ghost Brigade has a far rougher edge due to the use of gruff vocals and more mosh-heavy riffs. Ghost Brigade is also way more rawk. Unfortunately, that also means I can hear a stronger grunge influence lurking beneath the surface. Many of the clean vocals come awfully close to the yeee-ah croon of Eddie Vedder. It doesn't ruin the record, but it does make me cringe sometimes. When said clean vocals work though, they work quite well such as on the track I've posted today. The way the harmonies on the chorus trail off into dissonance is awesome. It's a great counterpoint to the thrashy verse riff and creates a welcome dynamic shift. The sung vocals at the end are nice as well - there's still a slight Alice in Chains/Stone Temple Pilots vibe in his timbre, but it's offset by the evil lyrics ("This time your god won't help you!"). I definitely prefer the darker, heavier stuff overall, but I respect that they're trying to develop a more original sound, a niche I think fans of both older (pre-clean vox) and newer (post-clean) Katatonia can appreciate.
Ghost Brigade - Horns