PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
Since forming back in 2008, Shadows Chasing Ghosts have spent the last four years working hard to gain a cult following. This dedication has seen them touring almost none stop with the likes of Bury Tomorrow, While She Sleeps, Finch, Blessed By a Broken Heart, Glamour Of The Kill and Polar to name but a few.
‘Lessons‘ is the band’s third release after their self-released EP ‘Never Get a Wolf’s Attention By Pulling On Its Tail‘ and then their debut album ‘The Golden Ratio‘.
This new record finds them in familiar territory, treading the hardcore/scream road with hardcore-esque vocals ‘played’ against a set of guitar riffs and some wicked drum beats.. While all this is very good, it does tend to sound the same. But then they hit you with tracks like, ‘The Lighthouse’ and ‘The Writer’. These leave you in no doubt that the band are branching out, defining their own sound, bringing all the good bits of the genre and blending them together.
There are some cool harmonies and catchy melodies to make songs like, ‘Now Or Never’ ‘Rest Easy’ and ‘The Hunter’ worthy of another, and then another listen.
‘The Lighthouse’ is a much more melodic and softer sounding tune, leaning towards a ‘ You Me At Six’ type ballad. This is a good effort overall, but not groundbreaking, the record contains 13 tracks and there is certainly some mileage in the first 12, however track 13, Lessons (reprise)’ is an an acoustic track that just doesn’t work. The vocals passages sound strained and uncertain while a piano plinks, plonks in the background, maybe an experiment too far ?
A 6/10 for this release from me.It is certainly worthy of an hour of your time, and im pretty sure some more tracks will grow on me after a few more listens.
Track listing
01 – Splinter
02 – Now Or Never
03 – Rest Easy
04 – The Hunter
05 – Again And Again
06 – Interlude
07 – Lessons
08 – Lose The Attitude
09 – The Lighthouse
10 – Top Of The World
11 – Deadly Weapon
12 – The Writer
13 – Lessons (Reprise)
