Ghost Key is a band that would probably slip under most people's radars in the hardcore scene. They play a blend of passionate melodic hardcore, mixed with heartfelt lyrics dealing with emotional struggle and angst. Sound familiar? If you're familiar with bands like Defeater or Modern Life Is War, you've heard something like this album before. Ghost Key's 'The Things I Am Not' could easily masquerade as one of Defeater's EP's.
In fact, if I had just heard this album on it's own, I probably would have written these boys off as just that. Except I had the distinct pleasure of seeing them play live last year at a small venue in my middle-of-nowhere town in the great Pacific Northwest. It almost single-handedly revitalized my respect and interest in the underground hardcore scene. These guys have a way of connecting with the audience that I rarely get to experience. They weren't playing for us, they were experiencing their music with us, you know, 'true hardcore' and all that ***. And while this album sounds pretty similar to lots of stuff that's come before, they managed to grip me in a way that other bands hadn't.
Which is why it's such a shame that they only put a out a four song EP. It makes me think that maybe they had much more material, and were forced to pick the songs that they (or their label) thought would showcase their music as succinctly as possible. The problem is that two of these songs just aren't that strong. For example, despite the energetic instrumental display on 'Judgement,' the track loses steam as their front-man chants 'Judge me as I judge you,' over and over again. It's a pretty forgettable song, all in all. Certainly not bad, but it doesn't leave much of an impression. 'Big Brother' is a good track, full of hardcore energy, but it doesn't really stand out either.
Where this album shines the brightest is in it's opening and closing songs, 'Dismantle' and 'Choir Boy.' From the opening spoken word guest feature on 'Dismantle' to the gripping story and soaring ambient leads with bombastic hardcore beatdowns featured in 'Choir Boy,' it showcases a band that clearly knows how to write fantastic music. Previous work, like the heart-wrenching '3:33' clearly illustrate that Ghost Key knows how to pluck on the old heartstrings.
All in all, if you're looking for groundbreaking melodic hardcore, 'The Things I Am Not' is in short supply. If you're looking for heartfelt, generally well-written music, then definitely go pick up a copy, you won't be disappointed. Ghost Key shows lots of promise, and the stronger elements outshine their weaker moments. Hopefully they'll be releasing a full-length album in the near future where they'll have a bit more breathing room to showcase what they're all about.
Oh, and for the love of god, see these guys live.
