Six Reasons To Kill-We Are Ghosts

Massacre Records
2013


This one's a few months old now, but seeing as it's still (roughly) within it's "best if used by" date I figured I'd tackle this, the fifth full-length album, and see what all the fuss is about when it comes to Six Reasons To Kill. Interesting band name aside, this German metalcore group was formed in 1999 making them, more or less, veteran's of said genre. Well, either that or their still around and kicking which is a lot more then I can say for a lot of metalcore groups that have come and gone since the formation of this act. Having been hit with the usual line-up changes (For example it looks as if Lars Tekolf is the third lead vocalist they have had since forming back in the late 90s) Six Reasons To Kill has stumbled along the way, but it certainly looks as if this band has finally found a steady set of legs to stand on. With five full-length albums to their name now, along with several splits, a demo and a single, this is a band that either needs to put up or shut up. Thankfully it's much more of the former then the latter as this metalcore quintet throws all their cards down on the table for "We Are Ghosts". Having played with a real list of who's who (To name just a few we've got bands like Suicidal Tendencies, Testament, Parkway Drive, Unearth, Pro-Pain, The Black Dahlia Murder, Shadows Fall, Bleeding Through, Napalm Death and Heaven Shall Burn!) the band is said to be lethal both onstage and off (studio-wise). While I can't speak for their lives shows I can affirm that an album like this should help out greatly when we're talking about having the need to stand out among the crowded metalcore scene. Many metalcore groups fall into into the trap of being far too predictable. Breakdowns, clean/harsh vocals, down-tuned guitars, songs about strength and power (which really does nothing but betray the hardcore roots of the movement when it was done with much more conviction and sincerity), etc, etc, etc. It's almost like "OK, we get it already! You like Killswitch Engage and the like, but does there really need to be thousand different versions of Adam Dutkiewicz's band?". I'm thinking the world is probably just fine with one Killswitch Engage so I'm thankful these guys don't ride that love train all the way off the tracks! Knowing that much is true about these guys I'm left pondering just how exactly to describe the rest of their sound?. In fact, on this 10-track album, it's not strictly metalcore which is a really good thing. The album, which was produced at Kohlekeller Studio by Kristian ‘Kohle’ Bonifer (Powerwolf, Crematory, The Burning, Benighted), doesn't get too fancy, but it does just enough to keep things from going all the way south. It's nothing new mind you, but since the group does thrash about in some old-school hardcore riffs it keeps things from being too stale.On an album like this that little bit of extra "bite" helps. When it comes right down to the music on "We Are Ghosts", and whether or not it's worth tracking down a copy, it's a matter of preference. If you still like/love metalcore then hey, this one should appease you. If you're bored of the genre already then chances are even the added hardcore pieces won't be enough to get you excited. I find I'm falling more towards the latter on this one although in honesty there were moments when I remember how fresh and cutting edge metalcore used to be. That was along time ago though so even if Six Reasons To Kill do have a cool name (yeah!) and have been around since the near beginning of the movement it's hard for me to get too excited about an album like this.