Love Ghost – Sabertoothed (2021)
Regulars on The Other Side Reviews, US-based foursome Love Ghost has supplied us with outstanding music throughout 2021. While some would place these youngsters within the grunge genre, their sound is far more than one genre styling. In fact, the fusion of hip-hop, trap, emo and grunge show the band is innovative, unique and obscure. Sharing music with the masses since 2016, Love Ghost has certainly caught the eye of notable press, including Rolling Stone, American Songwriter, YMX, FLAUNT and Roadie Music. One of the latest offerings from Bell (lead vocals and guitar), Ryan Stevens (bass), Daniel Alcala (guitar) and Cory Batchler (keys) is Sabertoothed. Let’s take a look, shall we?
A collaborative project between Love Ghost and producer Danny Saber (David Bowie, Marilyn Manson, Rolling Stones), Sabertoothed takes us back to the alternative rock, grunge and emo sounds of the late-90s and early-2000s. From the first second, I was transported back to my teenage years headbanging to heavy, intense and all-consuming music. What I find interesting is how the pounding drums, powerful guitars and brash vocals all have a noticeable prominence with different textures; however, are expertly fused to form anthemic melodies.
Known for incorporating evocative and controversial topics in their music, Love Ghost takes on human fragility with Sabertoothed. Exploring issues like toxic relationships, isolation, anxiety and mental health, the tracks certainly relate to many emotions felt by people across the globe. Sad to say, but statistics show that many young people experience depression because of the desperate society we live in. Think about it, emo music was “sad music” and Love Ghost insert that style in the four songs on Sabertoothed.
A fan of artists like My Chemical Romance, Radiohead and Nirvana, I am enthralled by Love Ghost and, particularly, Sabertoothed. While there is a strong grunge vibe to the EP, each of the four tracks has a specific sound with different paces, tones and arrangements. With the hard-hitting ‘Tribe’ and ‘Hated’, Love Ghost seems to bring out the anger and frustration within the singer. Bell’s brash vocals add a grittiness to the tracks enhancing their brutal rawness. Yet, I find this brutal honesty becomes even more poignant in ‘War, I Swear’ touching on “…how it is so hard to see something that was once good turn bad”.
One may think the EP is filled with nothing but despair and angst but there is some positivity within the pool. In ‘Step in The Arena’, Love Ghost looks at “…standing up for yourself when people try to tear you down”. Empowering within its intense attitude, the band shows there is always a light within the darkness.
For more from Love Ghost check out their official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
