Ghoultown - Life After Sundown

Artist: Ghoultown

Album: Life After Sundown

Label: Zoviet Records

So one recent morning I fire up emusic to see what the new release section should bring me.  To my astonishment, a new Ghoultown album revealed itself.  The very same day my (very delayed) copy of Dillinger Four's six year in the making C I V I L W A R arrived in the mail.  So I was torn, two potentially great albums, both by bands I'm more than fanatical about - which one would take priority?  Well, since this review is for Ghoultown, it's pretty obvious which contestant received more immediate attention.

I have to admit, Ghoultown's previous release, Bury Them Deep,  more or less introduced me to the "dead west" "hellbilly" genre.  Subsequently, I had already assumed that nothing could top that 8 track masterpiece in my very biased mind.  These unrealistic expectations made me very weary about firing up Ghoultown's new album, Life After Sundown.  Could it possibly impress me as much as the CD that turned me onto the genre?  I reluctantly clicked the play button on my ipod and gave the album its premier listen.  

To my dismay, the first seven tracks sounded very familiar - a Bury them Deep redux if you will.  The album opens with an instrumental, trumpet led track, and immediately leads into some very solid country infused rock, complete with bone-crunching guitar solos and chilling vocals.  But I found that tracks like "Werewolves on Wheels" and "Dead Outlaw" sound a tad too close to classics off of "Burry them Deep" like "Tekilla" and "Mexican Moonshine."  Other tracks, like "Spit on Your Grave," with rich acoustic sections are highly reminiscent of classics like "Blood on my Hands."  At this point I was ready to simply say "a fine but predictable addition to Ghoultown's catalogue."  But then I reached track 8, a magnificent six minute narrative that takes Ghoultown's western tales to new highs.  "Drinking with the Living Dead" masterfully tells the story of a old westerner who by chance finds himself in a drink off with Statin Creed, a lost soul doomed to walk the earth challenging saloon goers to buy him eternal rest should one defeat him.  While in retrospect my description may sound goofy, Ghoultown's execution of the material makes the situation feel very real, serious, and of urgent attention (I was on the edge of my seat).  Furthermore, during the same track the band sparingly debuts an excellent use of the fiddle, which somehow feels like a more than natural fit for the band.  After this track the band continues moving beyond conventions by integrating metal guitar solos, mexican inspired melodies, and ending the album with an interesting use of bongos.

I started this review by making a comparison with C I V I L W A R.  I'm going to end this review by saying that Ghoultown have done in under two years what Dillinger Four couldn't do even after six years - they've expanded their already genre challenging sound while retaining exactly what we've come to love about them.