GosT — Behemoth

We're far enough out of the 80's now for the young folk (said as a older than my time codger) can look longingly at a time before their births and wax nostalgic about an era they never saw. Taking inspiration from music and movies of the era, the trend in modern retro is toward coldness of synths with horror flourishes (well, the ones that come across my desk, anyway). Michigan's GosT is no exception. Simple in execution, Behemoth hits quickly and gets the head nodding, but doesn't really provide a lasting impact.

With all of the retro acts coming out these days, one can afford to be picky and find the act that best suits him/her. Whether it's nods to New Wave, horror soundtracks, or electro, now is a great time to partake in synthy reminiscing. GosT's approach is akin to that of John Carpenter mixed with a bit of New Order. With that simplified description as a starting point, one can move forward into GosT's sound. Thick, heavy synths propel the tracks along with enough fluidity that one almost doesn't notice the highly repetitive drums. Higher synth lines float on top to add character and atmosphere. Overall, they're pretty nice, but there's something missing that keeps them from becoming catchy. It's this near forgetablility of the synth lines that keeps this album from being one to talk about. However, there is one track that eschews the near facelessness and demands multiple listens. "Without A Trace" plays more toward a straight pop song and is helped along by Hayley Stewart's vocals. Danceable and catchy, this one would play well in a convertible under neon lights and palm trees.

After an impressive first listen, I found myself drifting further from the material with each pass. Other than the previously mentioned "Without A Trace," I didn't really find a lot to go back to. GosT's sound is nice, but the lack of depth in structure leaves a lot to be desired. It's definitely worth a listen or two, but don't expect it to be a classic.