Single Slam – Ambrosial by Ghost Bath (Starmourner)
American metal band Ghost Bath have released the second single from their new album. The new album is called Starmourner and will be released via Nuclear Blast Entertainment. It is due to drop on the 21st of April. This new single is called Ambrosial.
The first single, Thrones, was a brilliant piece of metal. It was also quite surprising in how uplifting it was, at least in parts. Known for bringing a gloomy, doom laden musical experience, Thrones was quite a change. More importantly though it is brilliant. The hype for the new album is at maximum and hopefully Ambrosial is here to raise that level higher still.
Ambrosial is a much longer song then Thrones. It is 8 and a half minutes long compared to Thrones 6 and a bit minutes. It is also very different to Thrones.
Ambrosial starts off with a few simple clean notes left to ring out a bit before exploding dramatically into life. It is an explosion too. The vocalist, Nameless, comes straight in with that explosive start with his signature wails and screams while the drums thump heavily along. The riff is high toned but there is a strong undertone of bass too.
Intensity raises in the screams and wails and the drums move up to a pace that you would be forgiven for thinking it couldn’t possibly be a human. It can sound a little messy but just as it threatens to become little more than a wall noise, a lead guitar line comes in and adds a level of depth that makes it brilliant again.
Ambrosial slows down to a steady rhythm and vocals disappear as we get a clever distorted drum effect over clean and intricate guitar lines. Vocals join in but the guitar is in the driving seat and, much like Thrones, it is hypnotic to listen to.
A terrifying scream raises the tension and tempo again as the guitars turn to a lower chugging sound for a few bars. Near the end, a simple repeated pattern of guitars and drums plays on a loop. It is quite a weird moment in the track. At times it feels like it loops too long but at the same time it actually feels like it physically affects you. It feels like it is worming it’s way into your mind.
Just as your brain feels ready to implode, it suddenly switches to a clean, gentle ringing guitar. There is no distortion or vocals or drums and your mind is pulled back from that pit of despair the previous loop was driving you into.
It is quite an experience. If that was what Ghost Bath aimed for here, it works a treat. It is an enjoyable listen, near the end it becomes a little uncomfortable and then bang, the ending pulls it back again. Ghost Bath are masters of creating a musical environment that can affect you physically. Whether to pull you into despair or raise you up or both. Here they have done it again, this time driving you to the gates of hell before offering a divine hand to pull you safely back again.
Ghost Bath are on an astonishing run of form and Ambrosial continues it comfortably. It isn’t quite at the level of Thrones but isn’t far behind. Starmourner is shaping up to be game changing for them and the genre.
Check out this Ambrosial for yourself here. Take a look at Ghost Bath on Bandcamp for more music, more info and some merch. Give them a like or follow over on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram too.
To preorder the new album visit Nuclear Blast Records.
Ambrosial
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The Final Score - 8/10
8/10