Review by Shezma for Ghost Brigade - Until Fear No Longer Defines Us (2011)
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.