Album Review: Great American Ghost – Power Through Terror

Power Through Terror is an album so utterly consumed by rage that it leaves your ears feeling like a punchbag after a particularly strenuous beating.

Boston natives Great American Ghost are one of the latest iterations of their hometown’s hardcore heritage, albeit with an almighty tendency towards metallic bludgeon, and there are moments during Altar Of Snakes and No More when things threaten to spill over into death metal territory, all double bass pedals and OTT aggro. More frequently, a combination of divebombing riffs, splintered shards of tricksy lead guitar and mid-paced, declamatory choruses take tunes like Rat King, Prison Of Hate and WarBorn into territory perfected by Architects.

But it’s that anger which leaves the most lasting impression, as demonstrated by the absolutely apoplectic Socialized Animals, or the crushing title-track, the latter so remorselessly heavy and unrelenting that it starts to sound maniacally mechanical. It’s a blast of pure, cathartic energy from start to finish.

Verdict: 4/5