With a flurry of exceptionally intricate and well strung together tracks, Ghostly Times break into MIRAGE embodying a sense of alternative rock that’s equal parts heavy and melodic. There’s a marked departure from the more saturated production elements in modern rock that you tend to see. While that style definitely has its merits, it’s also in a way refreshing to hear a band that’s so unfiltered and raw in their expression. The sheer pain and anguish delivered on the chorus of “Not Alone” and the ensuing electric guitar solo that comes in to build is an absolute treat to the ears purely for its adoption of a more indie grunge aesthetic.
Across the record, there’s a keen attention paid to sonic diversity. It’s ever so eclectic, perhaps best exemplified in the soft rock ballad “In the Clouds” that immediately proceeds the heaviness and aggression of “Not Alone”. The gritty and furious rage of a song like “MINDHUNTER” is captured in the absolute frenzy of its instrumentation. But it’s in the final track, the titular piece that is MIRAGE, wherein Ghostly Times really showcase the breadth of their abilities and emotion.
A truly landmark rock project that’s different, exciting, and downright addictive.