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For all the Castlevania fans, New York’s Ghost & Goblin deliver a debut that could have come from the mind of Simon Belmont himself.
Superhorrorcastleland is a whirlwind of synth-rock, drama-pop and video game music. Vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist Nicholas DiMichele wails with the passionate exuberance of Muse‘s Matthew Bellamy, though slips into a Bono-like falsetto at times, while drummer Spencer Synwolt is a human metronome, providing beats so perfect, they could easily be mistaken for a machine. Between them, they provide a wide spectrum of compositions, ranging from classic rock to glitchy electronic music. “Look at the Clouds” is a modern take on Led Zeppelin‘s “D’yer Mak’er,” blending tropical sounds with heavy hard rock, but “Fleshcraft/The Transfiguration” is pure Black Sabbath gloom. “Magic Missiles” could be the main BGM for some forgotten 8-bit video game, “Blood Beach” melds Gary Numan with David Bowie for a driving bit of coldwave genius and “Ultra Puzzle Song” sounds like an arcade on overload, the games frolicking in the darkness after the room has long been closed.
Lo-fi synth duos may be a dime a dozen these days, but Ghost & Goblin do it effectively by letting classic rock guide their unique sound. Superhorrorcastleland is a collection of anthems for the digital youth. Step into an alternate pixelated world that is as fun as it is frightening.
