EP Review: Ghost Horizon – The Erotics of Disgust (Tridroid Records)

The new EP, The Erotics of Disgust from post black metal band, Ghost Horizon will be released on April 7th 2017. A two man project founder Dan Stollings had this to say  regarding the EP:

“It has been waiting in the darkness for quite a while now–it’s been completed for months. It’s been hard to let this EP into the world, because in a lot of ways, I’m sharing some pretty deep emotions that I would never talk about otherwise. I’ve been through a lot of ups and downs in the process of it’s creation, and I think that’s reflected pretty heavily in the music. The decision to do the vocals myself was also a part of this realisation that in order to portray exactly what I’m thinking, I need to use my own voice. Nothing on this album is perfect. I didn’t want it to be perfect. At first I went into writing with the mentality that this will be the best produced thing I’ve ever done, but after finishing the vocals, I realised this thing needs to be raw. And so it was.”

Those expecting instant heavy metal gratification on this 4 track EP will be in for a surprise with the opening of Radiant Eyes. It’s soft, guitar driven melody isn’t what you might expect but it will leave you with the biggest smile on your face.

As perfect as an opener as you could ask for, utterly mind-blowing. When it does kick things up a notch it just gets better & better. The black metal style vocals, the heavier drum beat, the chanting backing vocals all with that original melody spread across it. Words can’t do this song justice, it’s just fantastic.

Following that seems an impossible task but somehow So Hollow manages to create even more atmosphere & emotion in its 4 minute run. The mix of haunting clean crooning vocals with occasional background howls is something that stays with you long afterwards.

What makes The Erotics of Disgust such a compelling listen are the sorrowful & intense melodies. Gorgeous at times, This Forever Flow is just another stunning piece of music that exudes desperation. If you’re thinking this isn’t a heavy record though, you’d be wrong. It’s filled with intensely heavy moments. These sound even more huge thanks to the melodic moments.

The EP ends with a guest appearance on the final track, Whispers. Tyler Allen’s additional vocal style adds an extra layer to a song that is way more about hitting as hard as possible. It’s the most intense song on the EP, vocally & a fitting end to a record that is gob-smackingly good.

The Erotics of Disgust Full Track Listing:

1. Radiant Eyes
2. So Hollow
3. This Forever Flow
4. Whispers

The Erotics of Disgust is out on April 7th & can be pre-ordered on Bandcamp here. You can find out much more about the band over on Facebook, check out some of their music over on YouTube & ReverbNation.