Ghastly Menace – ‘Songs of Ghastly Menace’ [Album Review]

By Pia Cabrera

 The Record Machine

http://www.ghastlymenace.com/

The Chicago band Ghastly Menace has released their first full-length album, “Songs of Ghastly Menace”. The indie-pop record is full of low-key cool tracks with soft yet distinct vocals and catchy guitar hooks, creating an unpredictable rhythm.

The band is made up of six members, Andy Schroeder, Chris Geick, Kody Nixon, Michael Heringhaus, Pat Lawler, and Clint Weber. Altogether they create music that is meaningful, edgy, and full of emotion.

As any other indie-pop band, they aren’t afraid to write lyrics about love, relationships and sensitive topics. “She Won’t Stay For Long” features relaxing lyrics of: “Sometimes you think you’ve fallen in love and you want to show everyone how happy you are but don’t get too carried away, your lover might tell you that she isn’t planning to stay for long”. You can feel the true sense of heartbreak, and the solo piano in the background fits perfectly.

The cool sound effects and electric guitar solos are what makes this album so electrifying. You can feel the catchy guitar hooks in the tracks, “Closing,” “On Our Way” and “Real Life” and in the more bubbly songs of “80’s,” “Shadow Song,” and “Children”.

A standout on the album is the mysterious and other worldly “The Rooftop Song,” which begins with ghostly sound effects and guitar work.  Loud humming is heard for the better part of the song until close to the end when lyrics enter the picture with, “Now she’s gone and I don’t want to think about it,” repeated over and over again.

For the band’s first album, it’s very impressive.