Published: October 10, 2013

One man Teutonic black metal outfit Galaktic Cancer Squad may have a moniker that sounds like a bad Manga book but there is no whiff of Power Rangers about this opus.

Multi instrumentalist Argwohn first started the project in 2011 and this is already his fourth full length release . Quite some achievement , even in the world of Black Metal . Luckily this slab of black prog does not feel rushed out. You may, however need to rush out and buy it if you want a physical copy as there are only 500 of the blighters out there. (These BM types do love their limited releases eh?)

Opener “Ethanol Nebula”  is chock full of riffs and delicious blasts of classic black metal which will please any badger face who has avoided the cull. (Leave the most black metal mammal alone you murdering bastards!)  Argwohn vocals augment the track with their throaty rasp truly complimenting the complexity of the music.

“When the void Whispers my name” is a slightly more proggy affair but I had already been lured in by the opener so I took the bait.  The guitar line is great at first with an almost bouzouki quality. There is certainly a folk element to the orchestration on this track which continues throughout the rest of the album.  At 9 mins long I felt that this particular black pudding was a little over egged.

By the time my shell likes get to “In Licherlosen Weizen” I know what is in store and embrace my prog side like Luke Skywalker if the Emperor had Van Der Graaf Generator L.P.s spewing from his fingers instead of lightning. This was working well until Argwohn unleashed a guitar line that sounds like a cross between a swarm of hornets and a bad brass sample from a Casio keyboard that gets unwrapped on Xmas day played twice then discarded. (sorry mum).  When the buzzing has stopped behind it lies a great melodic track with more folk elements and (unusual for BM so whisper it in case the kvlt are listening) a great bass line.

The title track “Ghost Light” thunders straight in. No prisoners. No bouzouki . No winged beasties . Let’s do this!  There is a Celtic lilt to this number which reminded me a little of Waylander  and the track ends in a psyche like instrumental session which acts as an intro for the final piece of the puzzle.

“Hypnose” at 15 mins is more of a movement than a track. I am not afraid to say that the punk in me fears track of over 12 mins in length. In my mind they are filed under “ I need a shite what can I play” when I am broadcasting on radio. If you have the time and patience to listen to the track in its entirety you will find a collection of riffs and scales similar to those on the preceding 4 tracks. It speeds and slows, twists and turns, free from any vocal accompaniment.  This is a track that I enjoyed driving to. Its winding structure suited to the roundabouts and traffic lights of an English town at night.  Had I not been driving I may have turned this off and missed out on the mood and soundscape created which would have been a shame.

Grab a copy of this . Grab your car keys and hit the night streets.