Ghost Brigade - Until Fear No Longer Defines Us review
| Band: | Ghost Brigade |
| Album: | Until Fear No Longer Defines Us |
| Style: | Alternative metal, Post-metal |
| Release date: | August 19, 2011 |
| A review by: | White Winter Sun |
01. In The Woods
02. Clawmaster
03. Chamber
04. Traces Of Liberty
05. Divine Act Of Lunacy
06. Grain
07. Breakwater
08. Cult Of Decay
09. Torn
10. Soulcarvers
Two years after the release of the gem Isolation Songs, Finnish atmospheric sludge metallers Ghost Brigade are back with their new album, entitled Until Fear No Longer Defines Us. This album, which was recorded at Seawolf Studios, was released on August 2011 via French label Season Of Mist.
Until Fear No Longer Defines Us kicks off with the acoustic track "In The Woods". Immediately you can recognize the band's trademark, immersing the listener in their musical universe tinted with melancholy. The second track, entitled "Clawmaster", confirms this first impression: the recipe remains unchanged; it's 100% Ghost Brigade. Once again the mix/alternation of clean and harsh vocals perfectly works even though the clean parts are much more prominent than on Isolation Songs. I truly understand that a lot of people could be disappointed by this paucity of growls. On the other hand, this change leads to something more generic and in a lesser extent to a more accessible album. For me one of the most damageable aspects could be the lack of originality but is it so important when the performance is here? I don't think so. The whole album contains a muddle of melodic and melancholic parts putting great emphasis on the emotions. The musicians' performance is far from being bad, too; they clearly know how to handle their instruments. Finally, "Soulcarvers" concludes the album, where Manne's voice fits perfectly with the music, reaching a climax in terms of delivered emotions. "Soulcarvers" is typically the kind of song where you can close your eyes and let the music grow up on you (and I can also confirm to you that this song was a blast live!).
Even though Until Fear No Longer Defines Us knew how to get my attention and remains a solid album, I was a bit frustrated during the listening, probably due to my high expectations placed on the band after the release of the masterpiece Isolation Songs (which, as you have been able to understand, remains my favorite album from the band so far). This feeling is mainly due the lack of this little thing which turns an album from good to excellent or to a gem, as it was the case on Isolation Songs. Maybe I will find this little plus on their next album? at least I hope so. Anyway, fans of their previous releases would probably appreciate Until Fear No Longer Defines Us. For the others, check this album out and do not miss a good piece of melancholy!
Highlights: "Clawmaster," "Soulcarvers"
Reminder: as appetizer, you can download for free the track "Clawmaster" on the Season Of Mist's website over here. Enjoy!
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 8 |
| Songwriting: | 8 |
| Originality: | 6 |
| Production: | 8 |
Written by White Winter Sun | 10.11.2011
Comments
Comments: 10
Visited by: 218 users
| MechanisT Account deleted |
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306  |
I liked this quite a bit but this is the first GB album I've listened to so I don't have their back catalog to compare against. In any case I think it's a really good atmo-sludge album, very evocative.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| InnerSelf proofread free Posts: 2676  |
I totally agree with your review, the album lacks what made Isolation Songs so special which is something I can't completely get my hands on or sum up in words
---- He who is not bold enough to be stared at from across the abyss is not bold enough to stare into it himself.
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| White Winter Sun Laboratory's Rat Elite Posts: 2198  |
Thanks a lot for your comments guys. No doubt about that Until Fear No Longer Defines Us remains a solid album. It just miss the small "pluses" that make the difference. Glad to see that you share this point of view. Anyway I was pleasantly surprised when I caught the band on stage last month. Indeed the new songs sound very good in live conditions and they have convinced me much more than on CD.
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| Susan Smeghead Elite Posts: 6941  |
I haven't heard Isolation Songs so to my untainted ears this album is stunningly beautiful. Very nice review, too. I missed several of the points due to my inability to make a comparison between the two albums but after I finally listened to the music today it was exactly what I had imagined after reading this review.
---- "A life all mine Is what I choose At the end of my days" --The Gathering "A Life All Mine" from Souvenirs
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| White Winter Sun Laboratory's Rat Elite Posts: 2198 |
Written by Susan on 10.11.2011 at 23:57 Considering your comment, it seems that my description of the album is rather good  Glad to read that. On a more serious note, if you liked Until Fear No Longer Defines US, you'll fall in love for Isolation Songs, be sure of that 
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| Therapy? Posts: 174 |
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| tea[m]ster Au Pays Natal Contributor Posts: 5266  |
Same formula as the previous two albums. I swear you could combine all three and not notice anything significantly different from the song structures and recordings. I still like it tho. Nice review.
---- rekt
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| EmperorGonzo Account deleted |
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| Darkside Momo Retired Elite Posts: 9089  |
Written by Susan on 10.11.2011 at 23:57 Well, as WWS said, you'll fall in love with Isolation Songs. Actually, you'll forget most of "Until Fear..." after listening to that one  btw, I really like the main riff of "divine act of lunacy"
---- My Author's Blog (in French)  "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you" "I've lost too many years now I'm stealing back my soul I am awake"
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