Tag: Alternative Rock

Ghost Season – Ghosts Like Her (Review)

Ghost SeasonThis is the latest EP from Ghost Season who are from Greece. They play Modern/Alternative Metal.

The band have a strong, professional sound and waste no time in grabbing the attention of the listener.

This is Modern/Alternative Metal with clean vocals and easy harmonies. Imagine a Heavy Metal band that were more influenced by Modern Alternative Metal and the New Wave of American Heavy Metal than anything from the European scenes and you’ll have an idea of where Ghost Season are coming from.

In fact, the only real nod to the European scene is Ghost Season’s inclusion of a good amount of guitar solos, which is something that’s less prevalent in the previously mentioned styles and something that I’m very glad they incorporate into their sound.

Don’t let references to the NWOAHM fool you though, as apart from the occasional backing vocal there’s no real shouting, nor is there any angry pseudo-Hardcore breakdowns here; the singer has a fluidly melodic voice and the music has a good, hearty Modern Rock influence to it.

These songs slip out of the speakers like they wouldn’t harm a fly, but then Ghost Season’s intention isn’t to threaten. The band aim to make music that’s melodic and polished without losing its passion and vibrancy. For the most part it succeeds and Ghosts Like Her is an enjoyable collection of tracks.

The band sometimes remind me of a modern interpretation of 90’s Alternative Rock and even with the thoroughly modern sheen of Ghosts Like Her I can’t help but feel vaguely nostalgic when listening to it.

Give them a listen and see if they hit that right note for you.

Favourite Track: Need.

Ghegga – The Brutishness of a Similar Thing (Review)

GheggaGhegga are a Scandinavian band and this is their début album.

Ghegga play Electronic/Industrial-influenced Alternative Rock. These influences are embedded into the core of the band’s sound; rather than just add a few keyboards to their main instruments as some bands do, Ghegga incorporate these additional noises, sounds, etc. into everything they do so that the Industrial aspect is an integral part of their approach.

Obvious references would be a band like Nine Inch Nails, although it also brings to mind lesser known acts like Sunna and Gravity Kills. Think of these, add a more Techno/Aphex Twin influence to things; then strip away everything glossy and bright and you’ll have an idea of the Ghegga sound.

There are some good beats on this release and the songs work well as a stylistic whole. This is a bit too Industrial to be overtly commercial and is more like an underground Techno band who have discovered Rock and the beauty of guitars.

The vocals add to the underground Techno feel of the album. Sometimes melodic, sometimes spoken, sometimes threatening, sometimes conspiratorial, sometimes roguish; the vocals are a bit different and wielded like any other instrument to be warped and manipulated artificially by the band.

The tracks are very inorganic; they reek of mechanisation and industrialisation whilst maintaining a techno-darkness undertone that informs the central theme of the tracks. This is the soundtrack to an urban nightmare set to the backdrop of street-level warfare.

This is an interesting release from a band who have chosen to go down the road less travelled for this style of music. It would have been so easy to inject a glossy sheen to this kind of style and have anthemic choruses covering everything like sickly-sweet sugar. Instead we have a grittier vision of the future of music, one where urban decay is rampant and mechanised grime stalks the innocent.

If you’re looking for something a bit unusual then look no further. Delve into the world of Ghegga, just make sure you bring something to protect yourself as this land is not for the unwary.

Interesting and different.