Ghost Bath hath returned with Rose Thorn Necklace, which is my second favorite type. They went hard this time on those DSBM vocals, as the torture, not quite Silencer-level shrieks, can be heard throughout the first real track, “Rose Thorn Necklace.” What stands out immediately is the production, highlighting the guitars, front and center. It’s not very long (if I had a nickel), but the soulful, weeping guitars do the heavy lifting, showing you exactly where this album is going.

Or does it, I inquire? “Vodka Butterfly,” which is later in the album, has an almost, dare I say, “danceable” beat. It doesn’t matter anyway. I’m that dude with the top down on my car, metal blasting, and doing shimmies and shoulder shakes anyway. Check out those keys, which are far more prevalent than anything the band has done previously. I’m not sure if that’s a guitar in the background, but it sounds quite a bit like a mandolin. It’s one of the most interesting tracks because it offers a sort of dance break slightly over two minutes in.

“We’re Ghost Bath and we write songs about killing ourselves. This next song is about killing myself!”

“Well, I tried Drowning” fits that mantra as something I want to discuss, as well as something I haven’t tried. I’ve always heard you shouldn’t knock it until you try it. Okay, put it on the list. The track itself reminds me of Forgotten Tomb, who were possibly the first DSBM band I heard. Before two minutes, that rumble with the deep vocals grabs my attention. The screechy DSBM vocals almost blend into the background with the other instruments, but the bright guitars somehow make you forget the lyrics, including “Cut my throat.”

The track immediately following, “Thinly Sliced Muscle,” reminds me I haven’t eaten much today, and I’m hungry. It’s essentially a pretty interlude, though, leading well into “Dandelion Tea.” Those gorgeous, bright guitars continue, but you know something’s coming. The bright guitars stay on top of a chug and some cavernous background vocals. When the riff starts, along with the vocals, I am reminded of The Lion’s Daughter, but that doesn’t last as the band decides to blast away any of those comparisons (by using blast beats).

This album is one of those steps a band takes in a different direction, but not enough to dissatisfy its current fan base. I’ve been a fan of these guys since Moonlover because I haven’t listened to Funeral, and that’s not changing anytime soon. This is their most immediate attention-grabbing release so far, and it’s bound to garner a great deal. It’s a release on the upper end of the quality of this year’s albums so far (that I’ve heard). I would almost guarantee it ends up on a bunch of hipster lists, including mine. It’s me. I’m the hipster.

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