History: Ghosts In The City

Ghosts In The City didn’t really hit me til I put the reliable ole headphones on. As the opener bleeds into the second track, it dawned upon me. History are mining some awesome territory here. The band brings to mind the frantic nature of Shelby Cinca’s bands (Frodus and Decahedron to be exact). There has always been something almost mathematical about Cinca’s projects and History echoes those sentiments. The band also remind me of one of my favorite underrated bands of all time in Clair De Lune. I could just end the review right there and recommend but I’ll indulge you instead. History practice a certain controlled chaos that strikes a chord somewhere firmly between melody and aggression. The band might be from the sunny confines of Orlando, Florida but the dark atmospheres that surrounds the band’s songs tend to contradict. A few things stand out which separate History from their peers. The addition of the keyboard is a new element to bands mining this territory. Never overpowering, the keys are only used to accentuate the band’s arrangements. Also, the addition of female vocals make their first of numerous appearances on the strong “Horn Of The Unicorn.” That element adds a different dynamic to the band’s already ambitious sound. History are calculating and cunning in their compositions. The band seemingly lulls the listener into a state of complacency only to bludgeon them over the head repeatedly…but only in a good way of course. History do suffer a bit from the “sameness” aspect and the vocals feel a bit strained at times. But, other than those minor complaints, Ghosts In The City is a hell of a debut from a band flaunting some serious potential.

Genre: Post-Hardcore/Rock

RIYL: Engine Down, Jawbox, Shiner