For The Fan Presents:
Living Sacrafice: Ghost Thief (Review)
Album: “Ghost Thief”
Released: 2013
Label: Solid State Records
Genre: Metal/Melodic Hardcore
Metal music is often times talked about in light of Satanism, or religious backgrounds that are anti-god. When you start to learn that there is a ton of metal bands that are within the realms of evangelistic Christendom, you may laugh. Many a metal fan have laughed at the thought of this idea, and then they hear about certain bands that have garnered major crossover success and have pummeled fans with a unique blend of metal riffs, deep vocals and amazing talent. One of those bands is Living Sacrifice.
They retired a while ago, and then in 2013 went back into the studio and put out “Ghost Thief” and what should have been dismissed as a cash grab, was anything but. From track 1 “Screwtape” to the last track “Despair” you get an onslaught of speed, trash, and melody all rolled into one. This release easily could be mistaken for something that is coming through on Metal blade or any other heavy record label. Solid State has been hit or miss in a lot of ways recently, but upon the unleashing of this heavy record, they come full circle.
The lyrical content on “Ghost Thief” is very much poetic, and in line with a lot of bands from the 1980s, only they have a religious theme to it all. Don’t get it twisted, as this is not a preachy album, even though there are moments where they tow the line. What is found here is a punishing and relentless release with guitar work that is far from lackluster. Often times, Christian music is flat out awful. In fact, it’s beyond awful and even some metal bands can’t hack it when it comes to production, or talent. That is absolutely different here.
Bands from Metallica to Anthrax can easily take this band on tour and find an audience in which their jaws drop. There’s a mixture of styles here, and it’s not lost. Not since the release of “The Hammering Process” has Living Sacrifice produced something so compelling, dark, and definitively metal. It’s truly a mix of metallic genres, without losing sight of what makes them all unique. Metal riffs abound, insane drumming happens on “Ghost Thief” and many other places, and the vocal styles of Bruce Fitzhugh completely shatter preconceived notions about what you can produce with a “Christian” label.
If you can get past the notion that this may contain religious tones, you are going to be blown away. It’s perhaps one of the best metal releases of 2013. It features so many different elements and yet feels so familiar. For the metal fan, this fits in the collection a bit better than As I Lay Dying, and that’s saying a lot.
Pros: Metallic hardcore talent, killer drumming, thrash moments, spotless production
Cons: monotonous at times, religious ideas may turn some off
Rating: 4/5
Links:
Compact Disc: http://amzn.to/1f3rCu7
Video:
Written by Sir Jorge
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