I love how Caliban has rolled with some of the minor changes that metalcore has had over the years. I got into them right about when they released Vent, which was back in 2001. And back then, they sounded much like all of the other metalcore bands that came out that year. Fast forward 13 years, and they’ve definitely grown and evolved into the sound that we hear on Ghost Empire. And incidentally, it again sounds very much like the metalcore of today.
Speaking in terms of heaviness, Ghost Empire offers the basic metalcore fare, which isn’t meant to be insulting. Songs are comprised of simple yet great riffs and are accompanied by the occasional breakdown. The breakdowns are my favorite part, as a lot of times I don’t see them coming and get smacked in the back of the head with them. Sometimes they come from nowhere without a buildup and it actually makes it stand out more. “nebeL” has a great breakdown section and is actually my favorite track on Ghost Empire.
I will say their sound has gotten maybe a little “djenty”. Maybe I just haven’t noticed it quite as much if they started down this path on previous albums, but I feel like it might’ve been just a little too much in this one. If you listen to the opener, “King”, you’ll hear what I mean.
Even the song that follows, “Chaos – Creation”, starts out with a really djenty riff, and it basically follows to similar or lesser degrees on the remainder of the album. It’s definitely not exactly a bad sound to move towards, but since people still really hate the trend, it’s worth mentioning. It actually continues to prove my point of how relevant their brand of metalcore is in 2014, as many bands have djent-like flairs in their music now.
"King (Official Lyric Video)"
The thing I love about Ghost Empire is the atmospheres that each of the tracks contain. There’s a healthy amount of synthetic textures making the space of each song feel so vast and spacious. And there’s also plenty of layered guitar melodies during choruses and other passages to complicate the textures a little more. This isn’t anything new to metalcore or to Caliban, but it’s still done very well. Songs like “I Am Ghost”, “Who We Are”, and “Devil’s Night” demonstrate some of these atmospheric textures beautifully. But it really does pop up in virtually every track. Clean vocals also make appearances, as in the past, and they’re as catchy and memorable as ever. “I Am Rebellion” has probably the most memorable chorus in Ghost Empire, with guitarist Denis Schmidt still taking the lead on those.
Overall, Ghost Empire, is a great statement of the band and metalcore. So, if you think djent and/or metalcore is stupid, then you’re probably already not reading this review. But if you are, then obviously this isn’t your flavor. Ghost Empire is in fact a really good album by Caliban and shows further promise for their continued career.
"Devil's Night (Official Video)"
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