Genre : Metalcore, Djent
Released : May 7th, 2021
Label : Long Branch Records
FFO : Killswitch Engage, Erra, Chimaira
I remember discovering Ghost Iris a couple years ago at a show during their tour with Soen and Wheel (whom I also discovered at that gig).
They immediately made a strong impression that night since most people at the show were here for Soen and did not expect to get their teeth kicked in by some hard hitting melodic djent band with hardcore undertones by attending this gig.
While the major part of the more mature audience seemed a little offput, I was immediately captured by the band's energy and booming sound and "Comatose" offers that same energy but on steroids pretty much.
I think that my favourite thing about this band and this new album in particular is how well they balance aggression and melody; both are served in equal, harmonious portions that compliment each other very well.
I'm generally not too big of a fan of the "harsh verse into clean chorus" style of metalcore but Ghost Iris's take on that formula does feel a lot more beefed up than the average and the hardcore and death metal influences that shine through here and there spice it up enough to keep things interesting.
The production sounds very polished and "controlled" and emphasizes the strengths of both the heavy and melodic aspects.
I especially enjoyed the harsh vocals and the way they were mixed, along with the chunky djent guitar tone that sounds utterly bludgeoning during the album's most intense moments.
Overall, I would say that if you're looking for some melodic metalcore that packs a bit of a heavier punch without loosing sight of melody or straying too far into experimental territory, "Comatose" should be in your headphones by now.
P. S : It was really cool to hear Mark Hunter from Chimaira make an appearance again and it couldn't have been in a better place.
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