Artist: Ghost Brigade
Title: Isolation Songs
Type: Album
Label: Season Of Mist
2007’s “Guided By Fire” was a stunning first album from this Finnish crew, being frequently played by me throughout that year, and beyond. A frankly startling hybrid of death metal, doom-laden melancholy and gothic tinges, it was the kind of album that I had hoped that such previous favourites as Paradise Lost and Anathema could produce. A delicate mix of introspective moments and out-and-out aggression, it seemed that the album made a definite dent in the usually aloof underground metal press. The danger, however, in follow up albums to promising debuts is that they can often fail to live up to the promise of their illustrious older sibling. Do Ghost Brigade have what it takes to start a metal legacy?
In a word, “yes”. Oi! Don’t stop reading yet (unless you are going to march to your local reputable peddler of metal discs and demand your copy). This is no simple rehash of a winning formula. “Isolation Songs” is more than a mere continuation of “Guided by Fire”. By degrees, this is a complex, progressive album that slowly draws you into an ever-increasing web of depression, frustration, anger and sorrow. From the unbridled (and unexpected) metallic fury of opener “Suffocated” through the gentle dark atmosphere of “My Heart is a Tomb”, this is a rich and varied opus. It seems as if Ghost Brigade have gone to explore the various timbres and tones of Isolation through the skilful wielding of progressive touches, dark, intelligent music and atmospheric song writing. The guitars can switch between an almost Katatonia like darkly gothic rock vibe, a thick, swarming sound not unlike the more interesting portions of Opeth and even some (and I hate myself for mentioning the phrase) post-rock playing, as with the stunning, breath-taking sweep of “Birth”. Manne Ikonen produces a nasty, downright metal hoarse metal scream, alongside deep, rich clean singing. The rhythm section, courtesy of drummer Veli-Matti Suihkonen and bassist Janne Julin, is flawless. The guitars are amazingly played and composed. There is little in the way of traditional metal “shredding”, but in terms of producing atmosphere, Tommi Kiviniemi and Wille Naukkarinen are wizards. Perhaps the standout performance here though, for me, is Aleski Munter (keyboards). Ordinarily, the presence of keyboards in my metal is a bit like finding a tampon in my sausage rolls (bloody unwholesome), but here, their deliberate, tasteful approach adds a whole new dimension to the music.
…but don’t just take my word for it. I’ve already admitted to being a Ghost Brigade fan. The acid test of how quality has come from playing this album in the presence of my family. My wife (who hates 99% of all metal – which is a bit unfortunate) absolutely loved it, as did my brother, who is rather more into Morbid Angel than he is My Dying Bride couldn’t get enough. In terms of intelligent, morose, beguiling doomy, progressive heavy metal, there is no comparison at all. Isolation songs is something special. Trust me.
http://www.ghostbrigade.net
http://www.myspace.com/ghostbrigade
Chris Davison
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