I Am Ghost

Lovers Requiem

Written by: TL on 13/12/2006 22:52:46

I love hybrid bands, and for the same reason, I'm reviewing I Am Ghost's debut album "Lovers Requiem", even though its actuality might be nearing its expiration date. One glance at the artwork will awaken all your prejudices, and yes, stylistically we are located somewhere in the ever more blurry nomansland of emo and gothpunk.

For their debut album, I Am Ghost have without a doubt decided to give it everything they have. Imagine riffage from softer metalcore bands, emo dynamics, gothic moods reminiscent of AFI and lyrics as dark and theatrical as the ones of HIM, delivered at MCR-ish punk-opera speeds, spiced with both male and female vocals, screams, a keyboard player and a violinist, all coming together to form a concept album as symphonic as your favourite fuckin' power metal band, telling us 'a love story between life and death'. If that sounds like a mouthful it's because it is, but how does the band fare then? Pretty fuckin' good considering this is their debut actually. Almost every track comes complete with a guitar riff so stunningly characteristic, you will always know what song is on, only a few moments in. The dynamics are textbook examples of how to hold the listeners attention, and everything is delivered in a manner so bombastic it would make Meat Loaf cry with jealousy. Especially tracks like "Killer Likes Candy", "Pretty People Never Lie, Vampires Never Really Die" and the title track shine, and demand that you listen to them time and time again.

Lovers Requiem is a record that has its flaws however. During some of the choruses, the male lead vocals seem a bit flat, and in some places there is a remarkable lack of the final punch that would make the choruses do justice to the goodies that are spread out just about everywhere else in the songs. Actually, the places where the vocals work the best, are those where frontman Steve switches between singing and screaming more often, or when he is giving more room for the violinist Kerith's delicate voice to extend itself. This is most more noteable on the two final tracks of the album, where the earlier one being a quite predictable ballad, is saved by the closing "Beyond The Hourglass" and its exercise in anthemic grandeur.

As a whole, "Lovers Requiem" ends up having closest resemblances to the recent "Dying Is Your Latest Fashion" by Escape The Fate, with it's impressive dynamics, huge emotions and very diverse vocals, except it stands stronger as a whole because of how the songs are notably linked by the overall concept. Individually the songs aren't as strong as some of the material by Escape The Fate or other rising stars of the scene, and this keeps the band from the highest grades. Very impressive and memorable debut however, and if the band can keep on blowing their huge sound up further, while polishing their songwriting a bit, they're bound to become very very good.

Download: "Pretty People Never Lie Vampires Never Really Die", "Lovers Requiem", "Killer Likes Candy"
For the fans of: Escape The Fate, Senses Fail, My Chemical Romance
Listen: MySpace

Release Date 10.10.2006
Epitaph

Related Items | How we score?
Comments
comments powered by Disqus

Legal

© Copyright MMXXIV Rockfreaks.net.