Ghoul - Maniaxe
2003 - Razorback Records
By Philip Whitehouse
Go to the official Ghoul website.
These self-styled freaks and aberrations from the depths of Creepsylvania (stay with me here) have just delivered their second full-length platter of blood-soaked thrash metal, and it's a horrifyingly good listen to. Imagine 'Ride The Lightning' era Metallica clashing with Anthrax and add a hoarse, gargling, screamy type on vocals and you're getting close - now throw into the mix a penchant for tongue-in-cheek horror/gore lyricism and the knack for penning a ridiculously infectious thrash ditty, and you've pretty much got the idea.
The production is savagely clear, and the variation in the songs is commendable for thrash - every song stands up well on its own, even the oddity of a surf-rock riff-driven track as the penultimate track of the album. The vocals are something of an acquired taste - sounding spookily like Immortal at times - but if you can get used to them, you'll find they suit the atmosphere that surrounds the band perfectly well.
Album highlights include the marvellous story-in-song-form 'Ghoul Hunter', complete with melodramatic narration by the eponymous protagonist (the antagonists in this case being, of course, the band themselves), and the wonderfully morbid mauling of 'What A Wonderful World' that brings the album to a triumphant close.
Ghoul have saved themselves from being a novelty 'joke' band by having the nous to write excellent, catchy thrash tunes and sounding like they're having an absolute ball at the time - so if you can put up with listening to metal that requires a slightly twisted sense of humour to fully appreciate, you'll love this. Otherwise, I'm sure Glen Benton is sternly growling something derogatory about Christians elsewhere... just kidding.
7/10
2003 - Razorback Records
By Philip Whitehouse
Go to the official Ghoul website.
These self-styled freaks and aberrations from the depths of Creepsylvania (stay with me here) have just delivered their second full-length platter of blood-soaked thrash metal, and it's a horrifyingly good listen to. Imagine 'Ride The Lightning' era Metallica clashing with Anthrax and add a hoarse, gargling, screamy type on vocals and you're getting close - now throw into the mix a penchant for tongue-in-cheek horror/gore lyricism and the knack for penning a ridiculously infectious thrash ditty, and you've pretty much got the idea.
The production is savagely clear, and the variation in the songs is commendable for thrash - every song stands up well on its own, even the oddity of a surf-rock riff-driven track as the penultimate track of the album. The vocals are something of an acquired taste - sounding spookily like Immortal at times - but if you can get used to them, you'll find they suit the atmosphere that surrounds the band perfectly well.
Album highlights include the marvellous story-in-song-form 'Ghoul Hunter', complete with melodramatic narration by the eponymous protagonist (the antagonists in this case being, of course, the band themselves), and the wonderfully morbid mauling of 'What A Wonderful World' that brings the album to a triumphant close.
Ghoul have saved themselves from being a novelty 'joke' band by having the nous to write excellent, catchy thrash tunes and sounding like they're having an absolute ball at the time - so if you can put up with listening to metal that requires a slightly twisted sense of humour to fully appreciate, you'll love this. Otherwise, I'm sure Glen Benton is sternly growling something derogatory about Christians elsewhere... just kidding.
7/10
