Album Review: Ghost Horizon – The Punishment of Life (Self Released)

Ghost Horizon was formed late in 2015 in Phoenix, AZ, by multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, Dan Stollings. The atmospheric black metal band’s new album ‘The Punishment of Life’ follows their 2016 debut EP ‘Astral Possession’ and 2017 EP ‘The Erotics of Disgust’. This album will be the first and last full-length album to feature just Dan Stollings and Frog Magus. A more major revamp to the band is coming and will be announced in near the future.

Haunting and melancholic, demanding and heavy, bleak and beautiful… Ghost Horizon are a band that have thrilled us in the past and prove on this full-length, that it wasn’t a fluke. The six tracks of The Punishment of Life are capable of adding both buoyancy and weight to the soul. The ups and downs of their arduous black metal, the shifting melodic soundscapes and moving atmosphere is simply enchanting stuff.

If you’re not captivated by the opener, Sunrise/Sorrow (Morning Air) then the sheer beauty of Oozaru will do it. What a phenomenal track this is. The ringing heaviness of traditional black metal with divine atmospheric melody is perfectly combined here and it might very well be the best track from Ghost Horizon to date.

Although it is hardly a surprise that a few other tracks here come mighty close too. The title track is a downbeat and more methodical offering that leaves you feeling despondent and introspective. Unholy Conjuration is 4-minutes of gruelling black metal heaviness and Finality in Brilliance drips in cold and dark sensations.

Which brings us to the end and it’s something of an epic. Wretched Fiend (The Haunting) builds uncomfortable and isolated melody towards a miserable and overwhelming bout of heaviness.

Ghost of Horizon have done it again. The Punishment of Life is one not to be missed.

Ghost Horizon – The Punishment of Life Full Track Listing:

1. Sunrise/Sorrow (Morning Air)
2. Oozaru
3. The Punishment of Life
4. Unholy Conjuration
5. Finality in Brilliance
6. Wretched Fiend (The Haunting)

Links

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