Are we living in a golden age of genre bending heavy music? There has been plenty of genre fusion through the history of heavy music. But there seems to be now, more than ever, artists who blend a huge variation into a single release, or across multiple albums. An example of the former is the new self entitled album release by Ghøstkid.
A former vocalist of another genre bending band Eskimo Callboy – the German electronica/metalcore band who sound like Scooter accidentally won an audition to be the frontman for Bury Tomorrow. Ghostkid has here released the first album from his new project, and describing it is either very easy, or very difficult.
The easy (and lazy) way is to describe it as contemporary nu-metal. But there are much deeper forces at work here, and the genre blending is more important than it might first appear. Thus bringing up a wider point on the state of heavy metal music in the mainstream today.
We seem to have hit an era where heavy music from new bands has all but disappeared from the mainstream, at least in a conventional sense. However, the outside influence of traditionally ‘non-heavy’ genres being infused into metal is as big as ever. One of the biggest modern examples is Babymetal – infusing bubblegum J-Pop into metal. Others like Ghostemane and Poppy bringing rap and pop into a heavy industrial metal sound. If you are at all familiar with the metal subculture, outside musical influences being infused with heavy metal is as welcome as a hog roast at a PETA rally. But times are changing. Heavy music is evolving.
Here, Ghostkid has taken what starts as a modern metalcore sound, rife with downtuned chugging riffs, screamo and clean singing (Yøu & I fits into this mould) and blends in a host of outside influences. Opening track Føøl pummels your ears straight away with a catchy nu-metal hook. Supernøva – featuring Marcus Bichoff from fellow countrymen Heaven Shall Burn, observes a modern deathcore style. Crøwn features Mille Petrozza from thrash legends Kreator, but has a heavy dance influence. Which makes total sense, if it was recorded on opposites day.
Sensitive ballad Cøld Wørld slows things down dramatically. Followed up by a scoop of 80’s montage music on Zerø. Hollywood Undead grumpy rapper Johnny 3 Tears features on This is Nøt Høllywood to round off the guest appearance collection. As debut albums go, this is an excellent effort. It lays the foundation for an exciting new band in the world of face pounding heavy music.
This is prototypical piss of the metal elitists music. But more importantly, heavy music mixed with catchy hooks and borrowing elements from mainstream genres is going to keep metal reaching new audiences. Much like glam and nu-metal before it, this is what keeps metal alive. It provides a gateway for the youthful folk to get into heavy music. Keep it up!
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