Review Summary: Ghoul's forth full-length crushes heads in their typical fun fashion
If you are a seasoned metalhead you are most likely no stranger to Ghoul. These guys have been consistently tearing it up since 2001. It has been five years since their last full-length and they have finally returned with their long awaited album Transmission Zero. In between albums Ghoul made the switch from Razorback to Tankcrimes but they haven't changed much musically. This is still the same vicious thrash that we've come to know and love from the band, and let's face it, does anyone really want it any other way?
The riffs on this album are beyond amazing. You could be sitting in the waiting room at your dentist office awaiting a root canal and immediately when the first riff kicks in you'll go into full on numbskull mode and start a moshpit with the two elderly people sitting beside you. This is Ghoul doing what they do best and that consists of them breaking out of your speakers/headphones and sending you into a heavy metal fog. Enough with these stupid references, the bottom line is that this album slays.
For the most part Transmission Zero tends to be more of a straightforward thrash album when compared to the previous Ghoul releases. There is a great deal of energy put into every track and tons of catchy gang shout sections. As usual all these tracks have the perfect sound to throw an audience of metalheads into a moshing frenzy. With that being said there are a few surprises on this record as well. One of which is the track "Morning of the Mezmetron" which takes a slower approach and breaks eight minutes. The track gives off an eerie vibe and is a great change of pace for the albums overall flow. The old school surf sound shown on tracks like "Death in the Swamp" and "Transmission Zero" are extremely entertaining and make you want to go out and ride a tidal wave of blood.
Overall the five year wait paid off. Ghoul has done it yet again and it is beginning to seem like they are unable to release a bad album. This has been in constant rotation since I received it and it may very well be my favorite Ghoul album. Not many new albums come to mind that have a replay value quite like this one. Each track stands out and they all have their own qualities that separate them from one another and it all flows together seamlessly. Fans of metal in general should get this along with all the other Ghoul releases. They are growing to be one of the most consistent bands in the metal scene today and this album is just another perfect example of that. Old fans will not be disappointed, newcomers will be amazed, everyone wins.
