BLACK COBRA
Feather & Stone
(At a Loss)

GRAVE IN THE SKY
Cutlery Hits China: English
for the Hearing Impaired
(Heart & Crossbone)

GHOSTLIMB
S/T
(Self-Released)

THE PLIGHT
Black Summer
(Visible Noise)

NADJA
Radiance of Shadows
(Alien 8)

OBSTRUKTOR
Dead On Arrival 

(Self-Released)

MARBLEBOG
Forestheart

(Autopsy Kitchen)

MORE REVIEWS

Headed by Graf Orlock’s vocalist and main songwriter Justin Smith, Ghostlimb is basically a blinding fast paced hardcore band with a quasi thrash metal angle. Traits of Bay Area thrash metal minus the faintest attempt at hectic guitar solos are spewed in this their debut album but for the most part Ghostlimb sticks to a very eloquent and dexterous brand of chugga-less guitar oriented hardcore. Crossover if you will, and of the mightiest kind. Personally, I much prefer this type of hardcore than the simpleton tough guy thing that has been de rigueur in the hardcore scene all along. Not that Ghostlimb isn’t tough, because the vocals of Justin certainly have all that rough rowdy attitude, pitch and volume that screams with a powerful voice for everyone to move aside and, if possible, head way outta sight, but at least the music owns plenty of the dynamics usually ignored by many of the rest of hardcore bands, maybe because of lack of skills, perhaps because they were too preoccupied with violence and not enough with the music.

Not Ghostlimb though, who run through eleven songs in a little over fourteen minutes and that’s just plenty to express themselves.  To their advantage, and that shall only be considered after we take into account their power, there is top notch musicianship here. We all know technique is not what is about especially in hardcore where attitude is about 60% of the game, but these riffs are killer, elaborate, aggressive and tasty and range from the simple one for opening cut “The Custom of the Sea“ to the more impressive and technical.  All done with much speed and poignant melody this three piece band is wise not to ever get into sweet land territory. One aspect to highlight is the balance of the songs; this is heavy, fast, and melodic, but super rough. Gorgeous artwork by the way.

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