Northern Silence Productions - 2015
8.5/10
It's pretty insane how in only a year's time, an extremely elementary-level band with such strange mystique surrounding them can not only grab a far larger audience, but craft a far more focused effort. In a weird way, Ghost Bath grew in popularity around the same time that the city they pretended to be from, Chongqing, began to grow in tourist appeal (and by the 2020s, neither seemed avoidable). This evolution started in the form of Moonlover, not only showcasing more predetermined thought up front, but also compressing things into a more digestible treat. We're left simply asking the question of whether or not this fared well, or if it stripped away the weird charms of yesterday.
And if you asked me personally, I'd tell you that Ghost Bath struck the perfect balance. The unflattering elements of Funeral are suppressed, and its strengths are touched up. Yes, your cry-wail vocal howls are still here, but they're more of a garnish than a focal point. Atmospherically, things aren't as degraded, while maintaining a blackened gradient that levels the playing field, allowing the best moments to jump out as needed. Like before, those elements are the guitar leads which feel sharp as ever, offering melodies with an array of emotion, and layering that boosts whatever mood is most appropriate for the song's structure.
More importantly, I can't stress how favorable it is that Moonlover trims off twenty minutes, offering only six real tracks and "The Sleeping Fields" intro, giving us a smoother ride all around. The melodic licks are equally as important as the atmosphere-drenched tremolos, likely the closest thing to actual black metal on the disc. At no point do I really get vibes that just simply sound like random alternative rock chops meeting a blackmosphere and unconventional vocals, but songwriting intent with an overall narrative. Thus, all we have left to ask ourselves is how pleasant the songwriting itself is.
For the most part, the answer ranges from absolutely gorgeous to decent but fitting. Interestingly, the two longest songs are the ones I cherish the most, both representing opposite sides of the emotional spectrum showcased. "Golden Number," eleven years after its release still blows me away, and I adore every minute of it. The blackened explosive build, breaking into an uplifting lead gives an aura of pulling oneself out of a pit of terror, before repetition molds into a chant hooking off of that same lead. The lone piano outing at the end is simply magnificent, and the nine minute length does not feel that long. On the other side of this is the immediately following, almost as long "Happyhouse," using layers to not only convey extreme sadness but a phase of absolute rage when it reaches its blast-beat apex (ignoring its goofy title).
Everything else falls somewhere in between. Structurally, we're offered more of the same in different variables, but none reach the sheer magnitude of those first two. "Beneath The Shade Tree" and "The Silver Flower (Part I)" are shorter instrumentals that act as a soft and cool core, boasting pleasant melodies via clean tones, the latter caking on a nature setting. "The Silver Flower (Part II)" breaks into the falling action via crushing stomps covered in pain-laced wails, sliding off its interlude quite nicely. You could honestly look at tracks four through six as one gigantic epic because of the way that they flow, but I digress. This brings us to "Death And The Maiden," closing things out by looping in hints at the intro's chords that reappeared a few times throughout the record's center.
My theory is that Ghost Bath was a throwaway, one-man project with a gimmick that started with weird ideas thrown together, until it wasn't; things actually stuck, and it had to come to full fruition, or risk remaining an unintentional self-parody (though some may argue that it's too late to turn back from that). Moonlover, like its predecessor, is an album that requires the right mood, but is far more intentional in construction, competent in execution, and most importantly, feels complete. Perhaps it drags a bit by the end, but at least it isn't relying on one thing to hold itself intact. Black metal nerds are more than likely going to scoff at it, shoegaze hipsters will absolutely adore it, but the best method is to just enjoy it for what it is; an emotional art piece.
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