Album Review: Ghowl – In the Woods (Self Released)

Released at the end of 2016, In the Woods comes from Swedish’s goth/heavy metal band, Ghowl.

The under current of groove that swings & swaggers it’s way throughout In the Woods is what really makes this album standout. 9 tracks of hard riffing gothic malevolent metal, catchy vocals & rumbling drum beats.

The opening double header of Nightmare & Meat sets the dark tone perfectly. Think Rob Zombie or Marilyn Manson but with more emphasis on slamming heavy metal.

There’s no escaping the catchy ‘move your body’ beats & hooks but this album is still weighted more in a hard hitting metal sound. Filled with plenty of head-banging tempo changes & guitar solos that sound so good.

When not blasting out fast metal riffs wrapped up in horror based metal, a more methodical pace takes over. Title track, In the Woods… doesn’t quite hit the mark although the bass-heavy beat is very memorable & Mother’s more industrial sound only stends out during the chorus. It’s got some absolutely crushing riffs.

There isn’t a lot of innovation throughout Into the Woods & it does struggles to keep afloat during some tracks. However, being only 9 tracks long, it’s over well before it starts to be a real problem.

The best tracks are the ones that offer some really catchy moments. Songs like Nightmare, Eaten Alive, In to the Light & Burn are the standouts with groovy riffs, sultry vocals & some dark metal beats.

The double hip-swagger of Stay & Dream finish of Into the Woods in style. The former being a chunky & rumbling number while the latter throws everything into making one final memorable moment which it succeeds at wits ease.

Into the woods is a very good album, it’s not got much in the way of variety but it makes up for that by mostly having great horror metal songs to enjoy.

Ghowl – Into the Woods Full Track Listing:

1. Nightmare
2. Meat
3. In the Woods…
4. Mother
5. Eaten Aive
6. In to the Light
7. Burn
8. Stay
9. Dream

You can find out more about Ghowl on their website here & on Facebook here. Why not pick up Into the Woods or a song at Amazon & Apple Music below?

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