ALBUM REVIEW: Tragedy Of The Commons – Great American Ghost
Despite their consistency and devoted following New Hampshire metalcore outfit GREAT AMERICAN GHOST have always seemed to skirt just under the radar, not quite receiving the same plaudits as their counterparts. Their luck could be about to change with the release of incoming full length effort Tragedy Of The Commons which is due for release on January 31st via SharpTone Records. With their refreshed lineup settled into the groove, will they be able to grab their share of the spotlight?
Kerosene doesn’t trifle with a long, tentative build up. Instead, it opts for a vicious burst of riffing and screams so caustic that it would be advised to keep your distance. Crushing intensity gets this release off to a striking start. Echoes Of War sustains the aggression with punishing drum beats as well as adding alluring melodies into the fold. This exciting dimension adds an unpredictable intrigue to the flow. Lost In The Outline follows suit with an equally impressive chorus segment nestled neatly amongst the ongoing carnage.
Forsaken dials up the violence with monstrous chugging riffs and emphatic drum rhythms before vibrant melodies crack through the savage soundscape. Ghost In Flesh opts for a similarly destructive approach, hammering instrumentation runs rampant. Writhe possesses an addictive tempo that grabs you immediately. Haunting lyrical passages mesh seamlessly with the dark undertones. Genocide prefers the taste of devastation. Stomping heaviness leaves its mark, joining forces with explosive vocal sequences.
Hymn Of Decay delves into the depths of brutality, swiftly switching pacing to keep you on your toes. Powerful blast beats command the assault. Chapel Paralysis is armed with enticing grooves and snappy drum beats. An additional flourish of melody allows for the chaos to return in an even more unhinged fashion. Reality//Relapse proves to be just as dangerous, frenetic energy copiously spewing through its veins as it threatens to detonate at a moments notice. God Is A Loaded Gun has no intention of departing until it has flattened every atom of air out of your lungs. Potent ferocity attacks from every angle.
Tragedy Of The Commons is a powderkeg rammed with a blistering heaviness that rarely relents. The inclusion of huge-sounding choruses benefits their sound greatly as it offers the opportunity to introduce exciting shifts in pacing without taking the sting out of its onslaught. GREAT AMERICAN GHOST have always had a penchant for constructing aggressive, evocative compositions but this effort feels like their most cohesive yet, making the overall product stronger and hit harder as a result. 2025 is starting off in impressive form!
Rating: 9/10
Tragedy of the Commons is out now via SharpTone Records.
Like GREAT AMERICAN GHOST on Facebook.