Thursday, May 26, 2011

A Sequence of Ghosts – 2011 Hostage(s)


Band : A Sequence of Ghosts
Album : Hostage(s)
Release Year : 2011
Genre : Ambient | Post-Hardcore

Tracklist :
1. The Enabler
2. The Hostage
3. The Bee & Its Swarm
4. The Politician
5. Reach The Shore

In just the last year alone, Kansas City’s A Sequence Of Ghosts have moved forward miles in their music styles. Their latest EP, titled Hostage(s),  is five tracks of brutal power in the likes of Underoath and As Cities Burn (and that isn’t just a comparison because the band plays Christian metalcore either). Since their inception during early Spring 2010, the band has quickly gained momentum, fans, and early positive press from Substream, HM Magazine, and more. Upon playing Hostage(s), it’s not hard to understand why this band has done so much in such little time. Whether you find yourself most attracted to the ambient chants or memorable breakdowns, A Sequence Of Ghosts manage to keep things thoroughly fresh and captivating with every track. Opening with distortion, “The Enabler” instantly grabs the listener’s attention as it moves into some killer guitar licks and fast movements. It is then followed by the band’s single, “The Hostage”, which is most propelled by the infectious, ambient chants that appear about two and half minutes in. These small touches may not seem like much, but they successfully keep things interesting and more expansive, rather than just leading you down a road you’ve explored previously.

A Sequence Of Ghosts may not be incredibly diverse, but they do enough to keep things from ever becoming stale (which is already a great feat for such a young band). Of course, there will always be those fans who are most attracted to the breakdowns a band has to offer. Luckily, Hostage(s) delivers quite well in this department (with the “wait for it” breakdown of “The Bee And Its Swarm” being one of the most entertaining moments on the record). Vocally, A Sequence Of Ghosts stick primarily to screams and growls. The only clean singing to really be heard is through the chants that appear several times during the length of the EP (make sure to give the final track, “Reach For The Shore”, multiple listens as it happens to feature the best work to be found). While some more up front clean vocals would have been welcomed, this style still works very well on its own. From start to finish, Hostage(s) is a success that grows more and more tempting with every passing play. A Sequence Of Ghosts have showed a great level of improvement with this record, so needless to say fans should rejoice eagerly upon its release. If the future is anywhere near as bright as this release, then expect to see this band everywhere within a year’s time. Hostage(s) certainly has that kind of potential to push these guys places.





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