My descent into the beautiful abyss that is underground music started with a love for thrash. Newer bands were flying the proverbial thrash flag as good as ever, with sometimes better chops and obviously better sounding recordings than their 80's originating counterparts. Bands like Warbringer, Municipal Waste, Havok, and Lich King had me excited for our generation's take on an art form which originated over a decade before I was born. 2009 was the first time I heard RsG, and I have been re-united with them in reviewing their third full-length Ghostmaker.
First off, I don't think this album should be considered just a "thrash" album. There is much more to this record than one genre-definer. I think a better-fitting title would be an "extreme metal" release. Sure, most of the album is whiplash-inducingly fast, but sometimes I feel like they cover other sounds not necessarily rooted in thrash.
Their dynamicism and songwriting sets them apart from the rest as well. For example-as it is kind of standard for thrash bands to have eerie acoustic or clean guitar intros, (in "A Lurking Thief") RsG uses the tecnique to their advantage. They build up a clean arpeggiated chord sequence into an incredibly memorable harmonized guitar riff. This then segways into a tasteful guitar solo, finally climaxing into the first mid-paced verse. They also have two members sharing vocal duties, which is another attribute that allows them to stand out.
There are too many more moments of memorable riffage, solos, variations, and crypt-shattering lyrics to try and name them all. Literally every song is chock-full of them. If you aren't sure if you want to dive into the whole album, check out "Nightworms." All the aforementioned attributes are showcased, which shapes it up to be the most memorable and diverse of the record. That's not to say that the other songs aren't any less memorable-this LP will certainly satisfy any extreme metal fan's appetite and let them know RsG have put their mark on the genre and are here to stay. With great production quality, great songwriting and showmanship to keep any music fan entertained throughout, this is cut out to be one of the best thrash/death/extreme releases of 2012. The title track "Ghostmaker" is streaming now on Stereokiller, so be sure to check it out.
Stream the title track here
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