I love doing this website.
Sometimes, I forget that on days when it feels like I have two jobs, but then something like Spirit Adrift comes along.
At the height of the lockdown, they released “Enlightened In Eternity,” a record so good that you almost had to do a double-take when you found out there were only two of them.
A couple of EPs followed, and here we are again with a full-length. A few things have changed. The band started as a solo project for Nate Garrett (a veteran of more bands than you’ve probably heard of, notably Gatecreeper), and now includes drummer Sonny DeCarlo, drummer Mike Arellano, and ex-Carcass guitarist Tom Draper.
“Give Her To The River” has classic metal sounds, peppered with a touch of mystique. “In the fire, we transform,” sings Nate Garrett, and there’s something slightly otherworldly going on.
For all that, though, this is a typical Spirit Adrift record, in that it’s atypical. The opening song, a seven-and-a-half-minute epic, boasts stunning solos and a rather primal middle. “Barn Burner,” however, proves that Spirit Adrift, regardless of their lineup, might just be the best new (not nu, that’s entirely different) metal band there is.
Their fleshed-out sound suits them (they were brilliant before), and the solos between Draper and Garrett echo the classic Smith/Gers/Murray style. “Hanged Man’s Revenge” is an absolute powerhouse. Yes, it’s releasing in 2023, but if it had come out at any point in metal’s history since its inception about eight miles from where I’m sitting, it would have been outstanding. And timeless.
With Spirit Adrift, you’re never too far from something ethereal. “These Two Hands” channels Led Zeppelin’s acoustics before erupting into a mighty wave of widescreen sound.
When it wants to be, “Gallows” is as heavy as hell. “Death Won’t Stop Me” serves as a reminder that if not for Covid, SA would have opened for Corrosion Of Conformity. Pepper and the boys (and indeed their fans) need to get here immediately.
There’s a deeper meaning to this as well. While “I Will Return” gallops in a classic manner, if you dig deeper, you’ll find “no need to grieve, I will return, giving back my body to the earth.” It’s this quality that makes this album so special, offering the best of both worlds.
One moment “Siren Of The South” is pure heavy metal, the next it’s followed by the epic, near-prog title track.
Whatever direction it takes and wherever it wanders, you can’t escape the brilliance of “Ghost At The Gallows.” In fact, it’s utterly wonderful and probably the best heavy metal record of the year. Nate Garrett aimed for something that wouldn’t be instantly catchy but that you’d still love in ten years’ time. No worries, as this will undoubtedly still sound incredible then.
Being a four-piece band clearly suits them.
Rating: 10/10
REVIEW: SPIRIT ADRIFT- GHOSTS AT THE GALLOWS (2023)
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