
You can easily point to some of Great American Ghost’s newer influences: modern metal legends like Gojira and Meshuggah, and current trailblazers Fit For An Autopsy and Norma Jean, for whom guitarist Grayson Stewart also plays. Their last two releases have seen them slowly pushing their sound beyond metallic hardcore by incorporating death metal style drumming, a darker atmosphere, and vocalist Ethan Harrison’s exasperated hardcore yell coupled with shrill shout-singing. While there was a decent amount to enjoy on Power Through Terror and Torture World, I couldn’t help but long for the more straightforward hardcore styling of 2017’s bleak and pissed Hatred Stems from the Seed. However, their new record Tragedy of the Commons fuses familiar ideas with brand new sounds in a way that turns it all into a complete package.
It’s like Great American Ghost stood in front of a massive metal buffet and filled their plates sky-high with tasty morsels that seemed impossible to mesh together; and yet, it all works seamlessly. They've enhanced their repertoire, combining hardcore grooves with coarse electronics, much like producer Will Putney’s recent work with his own band END. They've even enlisted the help of END drummer, and producer in his own right, Matt Guglielmo, to track parts for them.
The guitars are as furious as ever, except there is now a careful balance between softer bits and savage displays of musical devastation. “Writhe” shows the band at their softest as hazy guitars join hands with Harrison trading off from a notably new approach to singing and his usual range. It sounds unlike anything the band has done before, until they launch into a slam part capped off with what I imagine is an incoming missile soaring through the sky seconds before arrival.
Emphasis has been placed on developing the feel of each track. Delicately programmed electronics are woven into the framework of songs, not competing with the crushing guitars and thunderous drums, but rather complementing them. Opening track “Kerosene” opens with beating drum samples marching along, leading a battalion of harsh noise, and what can only be described as the tone of the machined-framework of our nation being torn apart. The ending breakdown, using plenty of effects to give the guitars a chainsaw-like bite, perhaps akin to getting repeatedly slammed in the face by a rusted pipe; the atmosphere only adds to its impact. However, later cut “Genocide” leans a little too far into the electronic, industrial sound and ends up feeling like an interlude that went on too long than a fully-fledged song. This kind of sound isn’t particularly new in metal, with bands like Code Orange, Full of Hell, and the previously mentioned END playing around with similar sonic palettes, but Great American Ghost manage to synthesize it with an ambience that is simultaneously as cruel as it is awe-inspiring.
Harrison sings a decent bit on Tragedy of the Commons, which may alarm some, but rest assured that it enhances what is already there rather than detracting. One of my favorite tracks, “Echoes of War,” leads with grinding guitars and jagged synthesizers before it opens up into a double pedal laden chorus, Harrison’s raspy singing laying perfectly on top. The breakdown is frantic, with guitarists Niko Gasparinni and Stewart held down by bassist Anthony Tronlaur, using every trick in the book to induce panic from the listener during the build-up before unleashing a blitz of syncopated chugs. In a unique move, Harrison continues to sing, rather than scream, as an arrangement of vocal layers create an ominous, almost uncanny quality to the ending. Choruses thankfully don’t feel shoehorned in, as the song structures have a progressive metal basis to them at times. They’re catchy yet dark.
Lyrically, the record manages to mesh quite well with its mechanical surroundings. Harrison is angry, that’s pretty clear, but I can’t really blame him. In his words, “Tragedy of The Commons is a study in exploitation…the concept that humankind as a whole is incapable of recognizing a common good, of refraining from taking advantage of anything readily available to them, unable to help themselves even in their most dire of times.” The album name itself comes from a term referring to people squandering the finite resources they've been given. People are tearing each other apart in the name of consumption, unable to get out of their own way to help their fellow man; everyone is fearful for the future, but do they have what it takes to do something about it? What does it sound like as the world collapses around us? I think it would be a lot like this.
Bottom Line: Tragedy of the Commons exemplifies what a modern metalcore record should sound like. It’s eclectic, catchy, insanely heavy, and most importantly, authentic. It eschews cliche topics and strikes while the iron is hot, showing that Great American Ghost are unafraid to touch upon real issues.
23 comments
Post CommentI would rather shit my pants and sit in it for a solid two hours than listen to this.
You can easily point to some of Great American Ghost's newer influences: modern metal legends like Gojira and Meshuggah, and current trailblazers Fit For An Autopsy and Norma Jean, for whom guitarist Grayson Stewart. ^^ Great sentence this.
Lol @ Norma Jean being called trailblazers. They are straight up Botch worship.
Does the first sentence even make sense? What the f*ck was that?….
Lol @ Norma Jean being called trailblazers. They are straight up Botch worship. Guy who hasn't listened to NJ in twenty years:
The obvious comparison is "Holy Hell"-era Architects yet it's not found in the review. That is my favorite Architects album and I am anxiously awaiting my Amazon delivery for this one!
Great and informative review. I'm going to stream the album now
The last two comments are some of the gayest & dumbest ive seen on this site
" Does the first sentence even make sense? What the f*ck was that?…." It does. You don't get it because you obviously cannot deduce language, and when you do, you criticize. Try creating for a change of pace vs being a vile shit human. Or better yet, sit down and shut the f*ck up - c*nt
Gorija is over rated Euro metal and they suck. So I will be never listening to this shit.
𝕎𝕖 ℙ𝔸𝕪 $𝟝𝟘𝟘, 𝕡𝕖𝕣 𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕕𝕠𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕠𝕟𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕖 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕜 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕙𝕠𝕞𝕖. 𝕄𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝔻𝕖𝕥𝕒𝕚𝕝𝕤 𝔽𝕠𝕣 𝕌𝕤. richjob2.ℂ𝕠𝕞 𝕃𝕒𝕤𝕥 𝕡𝕒𝕪𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕔𝕜 𝕠𝕗 𝕞𝕖 $𝟙𝟞,𝟠𝟘𝟘 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤.
Listened to the first track, big old bag of meh. Didn't hate it, didn't like it. Sounded more Fear Factory. How is the cringey whispery vocals still a thing
This album and review would probably make me gag so I'll just skip all of it.