BMan, I’ve missed nearly a decade of The Black League. ‘Ghost Brothel’ is the Finnish quartet’s fifth record and first for new label Brainbomber. Things sure have changed a lot since the 2000 debut. Progressively, the group have morphed into this dark, bluesy hard rock band. It’s very Danzig at times, but that’s a cop-out comparison. This sort of thing could easily appeal to fans of Lordi and Mustasch if you wanted to dig below the headstone. “Malabarista” serves up a mid-tempo rocker with melody, hooks and a lively battery with enough clang on the cymbals for the pubs. “Until We Sail” and “Beast is a Riddle” rip 'n tear with blues riffing while the group slow things down to a crawl with bass-heavy "Bipolar Meltdown". It’s still an identity crisis, but a much more enjoyable one 9-years removed from the ice-breaking ‘Ichor’.
(Heavy Psych Sounds)
(Listenable)
(Cimmerian Shade)
(Aftermath)
(Dream Catcher)
(Nuclear Blast)
(High Times Records)
(Locomotive Music)
(Metal Blade)
(Neurot)
(The End)
(Cyclone Empire)
(Southern Lord)
(Independent)
(Rivel Records)
(Metal Blade)
(Goodfellow Records)
(Independent)
(Backbite)
(Independent)
(Profound Lore)
(Independent)
(Century Media)
