Time for a history lesson. Ghost Tower were formed in Bellevue, Nebraska in 2007, releasing a demo tape the following year and their debut album ‘Curse Of The Black Blood’ in 2010, following up two years later with ‘Head of Night’. This has apparently reached cult status in some circles, and Paragon Records have now reissued it, with the addition of two songs from the debut album plus one from the demo. Now, back in 1979 I was sixteen years old, and the absolute prime target for NWOBHM and quickly immersed myself in not only bands such as Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Samson and Saxon but the likes of Fist, Raven, Angelwitch, Chainsaw, Witchfynde and so many others. I must confess I am finding it hard to realise this is an album released in the last ten years as opposed to one from that time as it so clearly belongs in that musical era.
If you don’t like NWOBHM, or NOWBHM-inspired acts, then move quickly on, but if do then there is a strange complex naivety to this which is quite interesting. Musically the guitars are complex, with loads of interplays and runs, while the rhythm section also keeps everything very tight indeed. Production wise the vocals have been treated as mix between Mercyful Fate and Mythra, and in many ways is totally out of keeping with the music beneath it, while the drums also suffer with sound problems. There are also times when the sound even goes a little flat, and one wonders what would have happened to this band with a different producer at the helm, and possibly a different singer. Some will be incredibly pleased to have this easily available again, whereas I for one can see why this was the last release for the band.
Rating: 5/10
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Track list:
1. Ninth Tooth of the Gravekeeper’s Grin
2. Secret of Black Moss Lake
3. The Brooding Silence…
4. …Of Untimely Death
5. House of Wary Shadows
6. An Elusive Encounter
7. Scroll of the Lunar Tribe
8. Island of All-Knowing Eyes
9. Elegy of Dreamtime
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