Review: Gost Push Back Against the Status Quo on Prophecy
There’s an old saying that when times are tough, we should dance—or maybe that’s from Footloose. Either way, there’s something to be said for the goth principal of making angry, aggressive music about what’s wrong with the world but also making music we can dance and have fun to. And Gost has achieved that on their forthcoming record Prophecy, out March 8 via Metal Blade Records.
Gost claims to “exist in the dark crack between black metal and the most shadowy end of electronic music,” and that’s also a great way to explain his music to new listeners. The project first dropped onto the scene in 2013 with his Radio Macabre EP and shortly after with debut album Skull, and since then, it’s been clear that producer James Lollar, the mastermind behind the project, has a lot of fun when he creates, but also a lot of important things to say.
Where other synthwave acts are softer and more ethereal (think the theme song to Portlandia), this album is not that. Prophecy really does bring equal parts black metal and old-school thrash influence to the mix alongside the weird EDM influence, making it a heavy hitter that deserves to be on the Metal Blade roster and a perfect example of slasherwave.
The record kicks of with “Judgement,” which succeeds in setting the tone for the album with its ominous soundscapes and distorted vocals, building anticipation for the sonic journey ahead. It immediately sets the stage for what is going to be a good time, but also an introspective time.
As the album continues on, and the mood shifts slightly with “Obituary,” offering a brief moment of respite with its melancholic atmosphere and sorrowful piano melody. Possibly the most notable moment on the album is with “Temple of Tears, which brings back the aggression with the same full force, characterized by its pounding drums and distorted guitars. It’s also one of the most “metal-adjacent” moments on the album for more straightforward fans.
That being said, “Decadent Decay” is a standout track in my opinion, if only for its ultimate and pervasive sense of darkness and doom. It’s for sure a heavy one.
Listening to Prophecy, I get this feeling that Gost was aiming to revisit some of the sounds from previous records on this album but make them heavier. In doing so, we’re left with a finished product that brings something more crushing than usual to light. It’s equal parts heavy and catchy as hell.
As each track plays on, the record really feels like it’s a direct response to the current shift back to “traditional” values in the United States. Comparing the emergence of hate against different folks to the Satanic Panic of the ’80s, Gost said leading up to this album’s release that “it felt like an appropriate time to bring Satan back into things.”
And while each song could stand alone as a pop banger, there’s a definite flow to the album as well. The title track on this album is one of the strongest, keeping the momentum going with its relentless beats and dark synth melodies, further emphasizing the album’s central themes. “Death in Bloom” takes a more industrial approach with its harsh textures and grinding guitars, creating a sense of unease and impending doom.
If you’re frustrated with the world today and don’t know whether to get mad or dance about, it this record will make you do both. It’s a confusing feeling, but bear with us; it’s also strangely cathartic.
Gost’s Defectum Omnium will be available this Friday, March 8 via Metal Blade Records. Preorder your copy today
