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A Girl A Gun A Ghost - Save this City

Rating

RIYL

Maylene and The Sons Of Disaster
Every Time I Die
Poison The Well

Tracklist

1. The Best There Was
2. Boy, You Better Save Face
3. Lies Pour Out
4. That Girl
5. A Distant Brother

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Rick Gebhardt

The "core" genre has seen no shortage of prefixes that we have attached to connote something sounding slightly different from a popular genre of music. The most obvious of these sub genres being hardcore, which seems to have become an incredibly successful sect of music in youth culture to date. Our desire to dissect music into categories allows us to recognize the subtle differences in music. For example: both hardcore and heavy metal genres are designed to be ear bleedingly loud and crunchy – the differences between the two, however, can be heard in the composition and instrumentation of the respective sects. One might suggest that the differences are slight in some cases, but to many it is arguably these subtle alterations in sound that help a music connoisseur to build a preference for one over the other. But to say that one prefers hardcore over heavy metal music might seem ignorant, for there are surely cases where bands transcend genre to create something that envelops multiple styles and sounds. It is rare that a fan should recognize him or herself as a fan of one genre without expressing the slightest admiration for music of a similar sect. So we further dissect the core term. New ideas of core emerge – emocore, fashioncore and metalcore.

The latter is where a purist would most likely categorize A Girl, A Gun, A Ghost. Unfortunately all of these core genres have caught a lot of flack from these same purists in recent years for being overly trendy and often unoriginal. The fact is that these sub genres which are supposed to bring music back to its basic form (as the name core would imply) have done the exact opposite; incorporating multiple sounds to form something new. This might account for the stigma attached to these genres of music – excluding fashioncore, which has emphasized a particular appearance as well as sound.

So by labeling A Girl, A Gun, A Ghost as a band that belongs in the metalcore genre, already some of the stigma attached to the term might seem to be detrimental to all the potential listeners out there. This is unfortunate since our language (through labeling) often interferes with the essence of something. It is also unfortunate that some might come out swinging just because this disk isn’t entirely original, but it is powerful nonetheless.

A Girl, A Gun, A Ghost's debut EP explodes upon the ears on the first note with a sound rivaling that of Every Time I Die and guitar work that does much the same. On this disk the band has definitely incorporated multiple genres and even emulated the sound of other current acts to form their own sect in the metalcore scene. The two main aspects where this is evident can be developed throughout the vocals and guitar work of the five-track disk. Matte Wagner’s vocals are harsh and raspy, just as one might come to expect from a metalcore crooner. What makes them interesting, however, is the way in which he uses his voice to emulate other acts – most notably on "Boy, You Better Save Face" – where his sound resembles Keith Buckley’s rock anthem shout for the majority of the song, but turns towards more of a raspy Tim McIIrath-esque growl for the chorus. As far as the guitar work is concerned it incorporates much of the same influences as the vocal range, even extending to heavier genres. Upon listening to this effort one might be able to pick out guitar parts from the likes of As I Lay Dying as well as Every Time I Die and Maylene and The Sons of Disaster.

So perhaps the metalcore label is fitting in the sense that if they borrow from many different styles of music – blending hardcore and metal - it's appropriate. The boys of AGAGAG borrow much of that southern rock sound that has become somewhat more popular in recent years. While the sounds on the disk work well together and nearly have you reaching for a fist of Jack and a Bud Light chaser there is some left to be desired in the length of the disk – but that is to be expected from a promising EP. Save This City is worth picking up for its incorporation of multiple genres and the way it borrows the subtleties that make other artists and groups admirable.

--Chad Quenneville

Author

Composing

Last updated: 09/29/2009 08:55PM

Comments

Rick Gebhardt

04/09/2007

11:43AM

Age: 30

Location
Minnesota

I predict that southern metalcore is going to be the next bandwagon that people start hopping on. With Maylene and the Showdown sporting the sound strong and other bands, such as A Girl A Gun A Ghost try to play it up, I'm sure we'll see this sub-genre getting huge soon.

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