Ghost Brigade - Isolation Songs review
| Band: | Ghost Brigade |
| Album: | Isolation Songs |
| Style: | Alternative metal, Post-metal |
| Release date: | August 03, 2009 |
| Guest review by: | Monolithic |
01. Suffocated
02. My Heart Is A Tomb
03. Into The Black Light
04. Lost In A Loop
05. 22:22 - Nihil
06. Architect Of New Beginnings
07. Birth
08. Concealed Revulsions
09. Secrets Of The Earth
10. A Storm Inside
11. Liar [first edition bonus]
Atmospheric Sludge, Melodic Doom/Death, Progressive Death Metal, whatever... This Finnish quintet (occasionally supported by Aleksi Munter of Swallow The Sun fame) has tried to stay away from the typical limitations of modern genre debates that happen in music communities.
If their 2007 debut, "Guided by Fire" is considered to be raw and touching, "Isolation Songs" clearly reflects the maturity and the prowess of their songwriting, often believed to be influenced by European Doom/Gothic/Dark bands such as Katatonia or Paradise Lost. However, I believe it would be a waste of time if we put so much effort into Comparison and investigation to see where their influences come from.
The band's chemistry, whatever it may be, is clearly melancholic, even in heavier songs such as "Suffocated", "Architect of New Beginnings" or "Liar" and it's completely evident in the soul-crushing ballad-esque song "A Storm Inside". Manne's clean vocals are not quite the typical vocals a fan would expect but his rather gravelly-like voice and a slight touch of his Finnish accent fits well to the melodies played by Wille and Tommi, not to mention his catchy growls that I find amazing. The sad part for many fans can be the lack of any evident guitar solos, however they both know how to muster their melodies and riffs and turn them into an integral, emotional and unforgettable part of Ghost Brigade's legacy which is evident after listening to the instrumental "22:22 - Nihil" or the semi-ballad "Into The Black Light" in which there are no death growls present.
An hour of melancholic music with songs that are interconnected regardless of their pace and mood, Isolation Songs can be considered the band's most seminal work if "Until Fear No Longer Defines Us" has failed to grasp your attention.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 9 |
| Songwriting: | 8 |
| Originality: | 8 |
| Production: | 9 |
Written by Monolithic | 11.09.2012
Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
Comments
| tea[m]ster Au Pays Natal Contributor Posts: 5266  |
To me this is Guided By Fire II. Same formula. That's not a knock because I do like their formula very much. A great band and I have enjoyed every release. Thanks for the review.
---- rekt
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| Monolithic ♠♠♠ Posts: 669  |
Written by tea[m]ster on 15.09.2012 at 21:23 Well I was willing to write a review about Guided by Fire, too. It's kinda funny I ended up writing about Isolation Songs which is the most personal album I've ever listened to because I can relate to it a lot. By the way anytime, I'm glad you enjoyed it. 
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