Ghost Brigade - Until Fear No Longer Defines Us

October 26, 2011

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Finland has no shortage of moody, melodic metal bands, which inevitably means that some lost in the tide. Ghost Brigade’s last album, Isolation Songs, finally brought them some attention from the metal media and was one of my favorites back in 2009. Until Fear No Longer Defines Us picks up where Isolation Songs left off, with the same basic formula that draws on Swallow The Sun’s unhurried pace and heavy gloom as much as it does Insomnium’s shimmering riffs and traces of melodic hope. I tend to prefer Ghost Brigade to either of the aforementioned; unlike the former, they don’t wallow in over-long songs, and unlike the latter, they don’t go straight for the melodic chorus.

This album, more than the last, showcases Ghost Brigade’s ability to carefully create uneasy tension and then release it. Opener “Into the Woods” pulls a bit of a fake-out if you’ve heard their last two albums. You keep waiting for it to explode into “metal” territory, but it never does, staying firmly planted in quiet, brooding acoustics. No matter, because “Clawmaster” takes care of that. As with many in the sub-genre, Ghost Brigade relies heavily on chiaroscuro, alternating between lighter, more melodic segments and bouts of heavy riffs and growls. This time around, singer Manne Ikonen spends more time singing than growling, and I won’t complain —I happen to think metal could use more singing, and his rough-edged voice suits the music perfectly.

Ultimately, what makes me so fond of this album — it’s been a steady regular in my rotation since it came out back in August — is its emotion. Ikonen is one of the more evocative singers in the genre, and there are several moments on the album when his voice combines with excellent riffs to create something truly heart-wrenching. “Grain” is probably the best example of this, although “Divine Act of Lunacy,” “Traces of Liberty,” and “Cult of Decay” all fit into that category. So, while it may not be musically all that different from their two previous works, Until Fear No Longer Defines Us is dearer to me.

— Tim Hunter

LINKS
Seasons of Mist
Official Page

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HEAR GHOST BRIGADE