“Murder us you, filthy rat kings.”
Ghost Iris are no strangers to BoolinTunes, as they were one of the first bands I covered back in 2021 for their most recent full-length album, Comatose. The Danish metalcore group is back after 3 years and rolling out not an LP, but an EP, titled M.U.R.K.
This 5-song package is filled to the brim with groove and riffage, as they’ve also gotten a tad heavier for this release as well. The opener, also the title track, has a near deathcore intro, and the guitar tone skates between their usual mantra, and something close to a band like Darko. I really enjoy the switch-up around 1:40 in where the instrumental opens up a bit while also becoming crushingly heavy. For a sound that is approaching deathcore, the production is a bit clean, but it still mostly works, and it certainly sounds like Ghost Iris through-and-through, still, just obviously going for a heavier impact. They’ve always been a heavy metalcore band with heavy themes, but this EP approaches that more directly.
I’m an Apple of Discord fan most if all, so “My Dear Rat Kings” piqued my interest as it reminds me of “The Rat & The Snake” but I can’t say it’s as dynamic as its referential track. The guitar and drums both are slowed down, less technical, and don’t hit as hard as the rest of the track listing. There’s a pleasant amount of distortion on the breakdown as it plays out the track, but it is also less technical, and suffers because of that.
“Down Below” starts strong, as all these tracks do, but takes many twists and turns in how it delivers the heaviness of the track, unlike “My Dear Rat Kings.” However, the rat lyrical content continues, which I do appreciate in building a throughline between various works of the band. There are also lyrical references to “the murk”. The band has always been conceptual, and has used their built-up concepts to strengthen their work, and that continues on M.U.R.K. The vocals on “Down Below” are super varied, ranging from brutal lows to half screams, to everything in between. The production also takes a step up here, as the mix really enhances all the different types of “heavy” present on the track.
“Nineteen84” maintains the momentum, with a sweeping guitar tone paving the way this time. This is a great example of how the band nails energy of this level, but more tame cuts like “My Dear Rat Kings” pale in comparison by many folds. The first half of “Nineteen84” really does the leg work, however. The chanty chorus that introduces itself halfway through is not the best musical moment here, as the instrumental drops down to that quality level in turn, even adding in marching drums. The track just kind of ends not long after that, making it land with a dud despite the strong start.
The closer is, unfortunately, not the brightest spot of the EP. The last minute is interesting, in how it plays out and then introduces a cryptic voicemail, which does enhance the conceptual elements that I think the band does so well, but the song surrounding it does nothing special. Up to the voicemail, the sound of the track is a diluted version the overall sound of the EP. Less dynamic, less interesting, less engaging. It maintains the overall sound, not sounding out of place, but that’s it; it blends into the rest.
Closing track notwithstanding, and outside of other spotty moments, Ghost Iris has quite the solid EP coming out. After 3 years, I would’ve like to see another full-length, but having the sound on M.U.R.K possibly be a steppingstone towards whatever is next, would be an exciting prospect. However, even in a vacuum, M.U.R.K is an impressive, well thought-out, heavy project.
7/10
You can pre-order the EP here before it releases this Friday, August 9th.