Ghost Bath is an American
post-metal
Post-metal is a music genre rooted in heavy metal but exploring approaches beyond metal conventions. It emerged in the 1990s with bands such as Neurosis and Godflesh, who transformed metal texture through experimental composition. In a way si ...
band from
Minot, North Dakota
Minot ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Ward County, North Dakota, United States, in the state's north-central region. It is most widely known for the Air Force base approximately north of the city. With a population of 48,377 at the 2 ...
, formed in 2012 and fronted by Dennis Mikula. They have released four studio albums and one EP to date, melding
black metal
Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with t ...
and
post-rock
Post-rock is a form of experimental rock characterized by a focus on exploring textures and timbre over traditional rock song structures, chords, or riffs. Post-rock artists are often instrumental, typically combining rock instrumentation with ...
music. They initially gained notoriety for marketing themselves as being from China.
History
Originally the band claimed to have been from
Chongqing, China.
Their 2014 debut studio album ''Funeral'' was released on Chinese record label
Pest Productions. They then signed to German label Northern Silence Productions for the release of their second album ''
Moonlover'' in 2015.
Upon gaining increased media attention, including critical acclaim from
Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...
and
Stereogum
''Stereogum'' is a daily Internet publication that focuses on music news, reviews, interviews, and commentary. The site was created in January 2002 by Scott Lapatine.
''Stereogum'' was one of the first MP3 blogs and has received several award ...
, the band was revealed to be from
Minot, North Dakota
Minot ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Ward County, North Dakota, United States, in the state's north-central region. It is most widely known for the Air Force base approximately north of the city. With a population of 48,377 at the 2 ...
and fronted by Dennis Mikula.
When asked why the band did not correct the false reports on their origin, Mikula stated: "We refused to correct people because we do not wish to put actual faces onto our music. It is our wish as a band to connect to all human beings."
In 2017, the band followed up ''Moonlover'' with ''Starmourner''. In 2021, they announced ''Self Loather'', the last album in the trilogy that began with ''Moonlover.''
Musical style
Ghost Bath combine elements of
black metal
Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with t ...
, including
tremolo picking
Alternate picking is a guitar playing technique that employs alternating downward and upward strokes in a continuous fashion. If the technique is performed at high speed on a single string or course voicing the same note, it may be referred to ...
guitar play and
shrieked vocals
Screaming is an extended vocal technique that is popular in "aggressive" music genres such as heavy metal, punk rock, and noise music and others. It is common in the more extreme subgenres of heavy metal, such as death and black metal as wel ...
, with uplifting melodies and atmospheric qualities inspired by
post-rock
Post-rock is a form of experimental rock characterized by a focus on exploring textures and timbre over traditional rock song structures, chords, or riffs. Post-rock artists are often instrumental, typically combining rock instrumentation with ...
.
Their style has thus been associated with
blackgaze
Blackgaze is a fusion genre combining elements of black metal and shoegaze. The word is a blend of the names of the two genres, described by ''The Guardian'' as "the buzz term for a new school of bands taking black metal out of the shadows a ...
and
post-metal
Post-metal is a music genre rooted in heavy metal but exploring approaches beyond metal conventions. It emerged in the 1990s with bands such as Neurosis and Godflesh, who transformed metal texture through experimental composition. In a way si ...
and frequently compared to that of fellow American band
Deafheaven
Deafheaven is an American post-metal band formed in 2010. Originally based in San Francisco, the group began as a two-piece with singer George Clarke and guitarist Kerry McCoy, who recorded and self-released a demo album together. Following i ...
, particularly on their breakthrough 2013 album ''
Sunbather
Sun tanning or tanning is the process whereby Human skin color, skin color is darkened or tanned. It is most often a result of exposure to ultraviolet radiation, ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight or from artificial sources, such as a ta ...
''.
Discography
Studio albums
* ''Funeral'' (February 2014)
* ''
Moonlover'' (April 2015)
* ''Starmourner'' (April 2017)
* ''Self Loather'' (October 2021)
EPs
* ''Ghost Bath'' (October 2013)
References
External links
* on
Bandcamp
Bandcamp is an American online audio distribution platform founded in 2007 by Oddpost co-founder Ethan Diamond and programmers Shawn Grunberger, Joe Holt and Neal Tucker, with headquarters in Oakland, California, US. On March 2, 2022, Bandcamp ...
*
*
{{Authority control
American black metal musical groups
Musical hoaxes
Musical groups established in 2012
Rock music groups from North Dakota
Musical quartets
Blackgaze musical groups
2012 establishments in North Dakota