GosT - Possessor

(Blood Music 2018)

Arguably, GosT is more responsible than anyone else for the Satanic Skrillex turn in darksynth. So what does the progenitor do now that his brood has grown of age? This is an almost impossible choice. Do as you have done before, and people will complain about it (see: Carpenter Brut). But try something different and you risk alienating your core audience. GosT may not care, because Possessor sounds like nothing I've ever heard before.  



Possessor is a brutal record, an assault of noise and agitprop that is compressed to the point where I thought my ears might start to bleed. On the other hand, there is something alluring about Possessor. If you wanted to describe a psychotic episode in musical terms, this might be it. 

In its best moments, listening to Possessor reminded me of how it felt the first time I heard Emperor--the thrill of understanding something so extreme, yet so thoughtful. A few of the tracks really got under my skin. The title track sets old news clips about Satanism over ominous synth pads. "Sigil" and "Malum" incorporate goth tones and vocals in a way that is genuinely surprising. My favorite track on the album, "Loudas Deceit," is just a stunningly atmospheric composition. And "16 A.M." is a fascinatingly dissonent take on outrun, featuring early '90s rave stabs and dubstep-like bass. It's all over the place in the best sense of the term.

Much of the album, though, is basically unlistenable--at least by me. On the level of ideas, Possessor is a brilliantly challenging piece of music--a successful attempt to push boundaries and unsettle listeners. I can appreciate that for what it is, but what's more important to me is if the music captures my attention in a more emotional sense. Possessor manages the trick at times, but overall it feels more like a thought experiment.

Score: 8.0