ALBUM REVIEW: Blind World – Ghost Iris

GHOST IRIS present a dramatic, almost haunting sound throughout their new record Blind World. The Danish band, pulverise the norm here too, booking their place as titans of progressive metal. And there’s a sudden urge to provoke a response from the metal contingent to dig deep into this whirlwind of harshness.The album is big and bold, colossal in substance and aggressiveness. The band also prove they’re competent at providing stellar guitar lines and blood curdling vocals, roars of commitment and metaphorical wonder.

The tiresome stretch forward is admirable as the band swoop for hope, as the world seems to be crumbling and dropping hazards. And the lyrical content is far from clichéd, it’s maximised and used to scrape against the skin and bone of those who choose to listen. GHOST IRIS have also built on their last release. Channelling an even bigger musical onslaught, attaching their signature sound. A sound capable of barging through a barrier of ignorance, a hum so emphatic it could break down the wall that leads to pastures new.

Blind World is masterminded by a group of musicians drawn to the art of creative, progressive metal, a progression so deep and meaningful, a profound exercise of truth and desire. Their art is key, and their minds are hurt, that’s why through the words they create, they arouse interest.

There’s many highlights on Blind World, take the sudden punch of Save Yourself. The screams intertwine brilliantly with clean vocals, adding a decisive and infectious slant. The guitar trickery bubbles and presents a technical side to the band, but we all knew they were masters of the craft. No Way Out is rough and ready, technically masterful in its delivery, offering screams of tension and melodic underpinnings. The chorus is brutally honest and the lyrics appear to be linked to broken life. After The Sun Sets starts with someone playing a sound of sorrow through a car CD player. Then it hits, a slap to the ribs, a bang to the head, and the song flourishes. The vocals are heavy and the chorus opens the track and gives it a perfect boost.

GHOST IRIS are true pioneers of progressive metal, connecting the dots of their muse with sheer excellence. Blind World is truly a force to be reckoned with.

Rating: 9/10

Blind World is out now via Long Branch Records/SPV.

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