Ghost Brigade - Until Fear No Longer Defines Us (2011)^{Release ID: 6528}

This is on the right track for my ears. Though, I'm not sure if this is true Atmospheric Sludge metal. I do hear it in here, but I definitely hear a more progressive almost Opeth-esque style that I do love. I did have to make sure when I started this album that this was the right one because the first song, "In The Woods" is a decent enough acoustic song that did a terrible job starting the album. Terrible opener in my opinion, not a bad song but did not do a good job at all of setting a foundation for this album in my opinion.

Because right after it goes heavy with really great growls in the "Clawmaster." I do wish the screamed vocals were around more throughout the album because it goes back to clean singing soon after and his voice gets the job done well. Not the best cleans I've heard but it does fit the acoustics moments. The screams on the other hand are really where this shines and if there was more of the clean/scream within a song and play off each other more like my aforementioned Opeth, I could see this being an all-timer record for me. However it loses alot when it calms itself down then ramps back up again. Oddly enough too, the songs while disconnected by intensity are still connected.

There was a disconnect in the songs but overall I really did enjoy this album. This one just clicked for me in a way I wasn't expecting, but also doesn't sound like other albums I've heard so far. Definitely a recommend from me as an album to get you into the genre if you are more into the progressive style of metal.

I must admit, I had overlooked Until Fear No Longer Defines Us as a member of the Ghost Brigade discography. I heard this groups remaining three projects and found myself gravitating a lot more towards Isolation Songs and One With the Storm and with no prospect of a fifth album, I had little reason to check in on the record that is sandwiched between those two mentioned previously. 

Upon listening to Until Fear No Longer Defines Us, I understand why I made that distinction because this album does very little to develop a melodic atmospheric sludge sound that Isolation Songs had figured out remarkably well before. Not that this was a bad thing; this album has a refinement on display that makes for a more consistent release for sure, even though I do not think its highs match those of the previous album.

Part of this is inevitably the sameness of the tunes. Many of them gravitate towards a similar tempo and remain locked in to that groove for a while. It isn't like doom metal though where the tracks can regularly exceed the ten minute mark; this records longest track is "Breakwater" at just under nine minutes. As a result of this, songs like "Torn" and "Divine Act of Lunacy" rarely outstay their welcome despite being fairly monotonous tracks overall. This also gives some greater emphasis to the songwriting on longer tracks like "Clawmaster", "Chamber" and "Soulcarvers", and these tunes do have some nice growth, even so considering how depressive this album can get.

The clean vocals of Manne Ikonen have a delivery that reminded me of some of Machine Head's softer moments on that groups most recent album, Of Kingdom and Crown, while the harsher vocals are a closer resemblance of The Ocean's lead vocalist, Loïc Rossetti. I think The Ocean comparison goes farther than just that the vocals sound similar, but the overall tone of this record has many similarities to The Ocean as well, from the tone quality of the rhythm and lead guitars, to the tempo selections, and even some of the percussive embellishment choices. Where Ghost Brigade succeed over The Ocean is a focus on melody, and "Clawmaster", "Grain" and "Cult of Decay" have strong melodic foundations, and the developments of those themes are more refined than any complete The Ocean album, and even the bands own Isolation Songs. 

In the end, this record was a wonderful listening experience. Sure, the record is pretty formulaic by Ghost Brigade, and modern post-metal standards, but it does a far better job of keeping the listener engaged with sticky motifs and development instead of wallowing in texture. 

Best Songs: Clawmaster, Divine Act of Lunacy, Grain, Cult of Decay, Soulcarvers