Spirit Adrift, the brainchild of vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter Nate Garrett, is back with their fifth studio work, “Ghost at the Gallows”, almost three years after their previous release. This time, Nate has by his side the new drummer Mike Arellano (Disfigured, Indisgust) and lead guitarist Tom Draper (Pounder). Additionally, David Wiley makes a guest appearance on the cello on “These Two Hands”.
Spirit Adrift is a heavy metal band that blends traditional metal with doom metal and atmospheric elements. For instance, on the first three tracks, “Give Her to the River”, “Barn Burner” and “Hanged Man’s Revenged”, they go metal all the way before switching to the doomy atmospheric hymn “These Two Hands”. “Death Won’t Stop Me” is probably the hit and the banger of the album, as it rocks really hard. “Siren of the South” is a heavy metal track with a doom vibe. The title-track, “Ghost at the Gallows”, closes the album in the best possible way, as it combines all the elements of the band and lasts around 8 minutes. The production is heavy and tight, though it has a contemporary touch. It doesn’t sound retro or anything like that. The mixing and the mastering was done by the renowned producer Zeuss (Queensrÿche, Iced Earth, Dee Snider, Sanctuary, etc.).
“Ghost at the Gallows” is an album that confidently pays homage to the iconic heavy metal roots of the 80s while still displaying the band’s distinct character. If you’re into heavy metal music that has doom and atmospheric elements, then you should give this album a listen.
