GHOUL
GHOUL “Noxious Concoctions” EP
By Dr. Abner Mality
Things have been so quiet in Creepsylvania the last few years that I feared the Killbot had returned and wiped the hooded numbskulls of GHOUL off the map. Happily, the wretched freaks are still kicking around in the crypt and have graced us with this EP.
Is GHOUL trying to stretch themselves musically here? It sure seems that way. “The Eye of the Witch” is a real epic by GHOUL standards and more atmospheric than we are used to hearing. Now, don’t panic, as the tune is rooted in thrash metal, but there are also spurts of creepy surf music and horror movie vibes. The title track is more in classic GHOULish mode, a rabid chunk of crossover thrash, but “Shotgun Gulch” throws some more of that watery surf style in with the ANTHRAXian chug. “Ratlicker” might be my favorite tune...catchy as hell, super moshable and featuring multiple vocal styles. The EP wraps up with a brief cover of FUNEROT’s “1-900-DTHLINE”.
Is this a taster for a forthcoming full length or just the boys getting some music out of their system? That’s for the future to reveal, but I for one am glad GHOUL runs riot once more.