Ghostheart Nebula – Blackshift
Band: Ghostheart Nebula
Title: Blackshift
Label: Muse Music Records
Release date: October 17th, 2024
Country: Italy
Format reviewed: High-quality digital recording
“ The heavier the burden, the closer our lives come to the earth, the more real and truthful they become. Conversely, the absolute absence of burden causes man to be lighter in the air, to soar into heights, take leave of the earth and his earthly being, and only become half real. What shall we choose? Weight or lightness?” Milan Kundera
“Blackshift” is the 2nd full-length album by Ghostheart Nebula, following their previous release “Ascension”. The band is primarily known for their Melodic Doom/Death Metal style, though their music also incorporates elements of Blackened Death Metal.
The album title “Blackshift” suggests an otherworldly theme, linking cosmic terms with human emotions. The lyrics mainly express themes like introspection, despair, and melancholy. A part of the theme is also reflected in the cover art. The green rays of light spreading across a black, starry background could symbolize hope and move toward the final destination. The white light, on the other hand, with a glowing figure at its center, represents the holy spirit, offering enlightenment and a connection to celestial power. At the bottom, faint red light rays are visible, representing passion and life. Then, there is a dark-hooded figure symbolizing either our inner darkness or the final stage of revelation that leads to the truth.
The album opens with “VdB141 IC 1805”, an ambient intro, setting the stage for a journey through an expansive cosmic realm. The following track, “Sunya”, is melodic, featuring black metal intense riffs, rapid drum blasts, and shrieked vocals. The song highlights an Indian philosophical concept of nothingness, known as Sunyata, which is either perceived as an ontological aspect of reality or as an analysis of experience from a phenomenological perspective. “The Opal Tide” reveals a bleak texture with a somber and melancholic tone which makes this track closer to Funeral Doom style. Then comes “Naught, I” with a powerful intro that pulls you out of your inner world and leaves you caught in a cruel storm of nothingness. “Infinite Mirror” narrates paradoxical concepts, with the mirror symbolizing duality. The shrieking vocals in this track effectively convey a sense of desperation.
“Blackshift” opens with a gentle monologue reflecting a sorrowful and shadowy inner world, evoking the dark-hooded figure featured on the cover art. Followed by “Traces”, the grief extends into the outer world and feels like being lost in a blizzard but keeps moving forward, yet unsure if you’ll ever reach somewhere. The album’s closing track “ Orphan of Light”, narrates the end of the journey which is the meeting point of darkness and light. According to illumination philosophy, all beings and the entire universe originate from light. Therefore, to reconnect with this celestial power, one seeks spiritual guidance from Mother Light symbolized on the cover as a luminous figure.
At the end of the day, “Blackshift” shares different atmospheres and emotions in each track, letting you experience an imaginal world that shifts from darkness to light, accompanying you through a journey of introspection and connection to something greater. I highly recommend this album to the fans of Shape of Despair, Hallatar, and Insomnium. 8/10 by Pegah
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