Band:	Ghast
Album:	Dread Doom Ruin
Style:	Black metal
Release date:	August 2014

01. Hate Stone
02. Festival of Serpents
03. Demons that Fled the Ferocity of Men
04. Grave Cult Woe
05. Lost in Fog
06. Scorn and Death

Ghast are one of the few bands that produce genuinely vile music. It never comes across as try-hard, or insincere, but rather truly misanthropic with a heavy influence from the violent side of metal. Typically classified as black metal, they often fall within a nebulous zone with heavy death metal influences, however at a thematic core the music is quite indicative of mid 90's raw black metal acts.

Each riff toppling down upon one another beats you into a dreary haze, as the album forms a thick, suffocating fog of an atmosphere. Impenetrable to any light, the listener is left abandoned until the album almost abruptly ends, leaving you with little, if any, sense of resolution. This fact alone, though it could be appealing to some, proves to be Dread Doom Ruin's weakest point. While the atmosphere is indeed intensely focused upon, and marvelously manifested, it prevents Ghast from achieving any sense of development throughout the album. Rather than molding and changing throughout, creating a journey of sorts, the album simply exists for just under an hour, and then disappears back into the fog it has produced.

Despite this misstep, the album still presents itself as enjoyable for what it is (namely a bleak and desolate slab of unforgiving black metal). The riffs twist and turn in and out of tremelo-picked melodies of suffering and mournful chord progressions. They often appear to be attempting to break free from the murky sludge of thick bass and punchy drums, adding to the desperation felt.

The production itself seems to be a point of particular importance to Ghast. Each release varies in that field quite a bit to fit a central theme or differing stylistic choice held within the respective work. Dread Doom Ruin seems to favor the high end in both the guitars and the drums, creating a more "punchy" feel to be absorbed, while the bass brings up the low end completely on its own, which in turn gives it a heavier presence throughout the album. These choices seem intentional, and while they aren't unique or outstanding in any way, they manage to embellish the already dense atmosphere.

Dread Doom Ruin really is a torturous beast. Misanthropy and suffering prevail throughout the entirety of the release, and while there is not anything particularly unique about this album, it is enjoyable for what it is.