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Overdrive - Ghost, a nameless ghoul....

#41
Saw them live two months ago supporting Meliora and have to say one of the best shows I have been too. There clean stage really interests me after lugging heavy gear for years. All in ear monitors so the ghouls move freely around the stage. Both guitarist looked like they had midi controllers for their axe effects units but nothing for the bassist. I don't know why but when the three guitar players get in a rock circle - so awesome! Sounds silly but was awesome!
 

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#45
ModulusFan said:
Clean, harmony vocals vs the standard screaming
Click to expand...
Let's examine that for a moment.
Live, the lead singer sings to a backing track because the other guys in the band are all wearing masks that would make singing impossible. One one hand its understandable, but on the other it is cheating a little.
There are dozens of variants in, lets say Overdrive, you can put into your delivery of vocals before reaching full on saturation. My objection isn't that Tobias Forge (the guy that has been outed as the singer for Ghost) sings clean, its that his vocals are flat, slightly nasal, and lacking in dynamics. There are dozens of metal singers from the 70s and 80s that sang "clean" but still had inflection. Tobais doesn't need to yell or growl, but emoting just a little would be nice.
Part of me wants to like these guys, but the vocals are a deal breaker for a lot of people. There is passion in the music that calls for vocals that are far more soaring than what is being offered. Someone pointed out to me once that they thought he sounded like the vocalist from They Might Be Giants. TMBG are a funny band, but no one has ever said John Linnell has an epic voice.
The singers of other retro-rock bands like Witchcraft, Graveyard, and The Vintage Caravan all sing clean but manage to get a little fire in their voices when they need to. If Ghost could manage something like that, I'd be down for them.
 
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#46
socialleper said:
Let's examine that for a moment.
Live, the lead singer sings to a backing track because the other guys in the band are all wearing masks that would make singing impossible. One one hand its understandable, but on the other it is cheating a little.
There are dozens of variants in, lets say Overdrive, you can put into your delivery of vocals before reaching full on saturation. My objection isn't that Tobias Forge (the guy that has been outed as the singer for Ghost) sings clean, its that his vocals are flat, slightly nasal, and lacking in dynamics. There are dozens of metal singers from the 70s and 80s that sang "clean" but still had inflection. Tobais doesn't need to yell or growl, but emoting just a little would be nice.
Part of me wants to like these guys, but the vocals are a deal breaker for a lot of people. There is passion in the music that calls for vocals that are far more soaring than what is being offered. Someone pointed out to me once that they thought he sounded like the vocalist from They Might Be Giants. TMBG are a funny band, but no one has ever said John Linnell has an epic voice.
The singers of other retro-rock bands like Witchcraft, Graveyard, and The Vintage Caravan all sing clean but manage to get a little fire in their voices when they need to. If Ghost could manage something like that, I'd be down for them.
Click to expand...

I find the vocal style conjurs up images of dark age Catholicism, choirs singing ancient hymns in Latin, etc.
I personally find it suits the "theme" of the band really well.
 
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#47
socialleper said:
Let's examine that for a moment.
Live, the lead singer sings to a backing track because the other guys in the band are all wearing masks that would make singing impossible. One one hand its understandable, but on the other it is cheating a little.
There are dozens of variants in, lets say Overdrive, you can put into your delivery of vocals before reaching full on saturation. My objection isn't that Tobias Forge (the guy that has been outed as the singer for Ghost) sings clean, its that his vocals are flat, slightly nasal, and lacking in dynamics. There are dozens of metal singers from the 70s and 80s that sang "clean" but still had inflection. Tobais doesn't need to yell or growl, but emoting just a little would be nice.
Part of me wants to like these guys, but the vocals are a deal breaker for a lot of people. There is passion in the music that calls for vocals that are far more soaring than what is being offered. Someone pointed out to me once that they thought he sounded like the vocalist from They Might Be Giants. TMBG are a funny band, but no one has ever said John Linnell has an epic voice.
The singers of other retro-rock bands like Witchcraft, Graveyard, and The Vintage Caravan all sing clean but manage to get a little fire in their voices when they need to. If Ghost could manage something like that, I'd be down for them.
Click to expand...

Not a fan of bands who use backing tracks personally. But, it is what it is and the majority do anymore. You're right, his vocal tone is very different than the typical singer in this type of band. I appreciate it for what it is and like anything else in this band.....reading too far into things past the face value is a waste of time. I wonder if anyone actually takes their satanism seriously when they sell papa emeritus dildos and butt plugs.
 
#51
Well, we can narrow things down slightly...Alpha (lead guitar) has an injured shoulder, so Water (bass) filled in on lead, with a session player off-stage playing bass. This was the FB post following the show:
Children of Munich!

Last night turned out very special for all of us indeed, at a SOLD OUT Backstage.

Thank you all for the support and a big shout out to Water for filling in for Alpha yesterday (who in turn did the pedal switches from the side)... Again - A very special night.

THANK YOU!

/A Nameless Ghoul
Click to expand...

So, there is real-time pedal switching happening, rather than it being automated.
 
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#52
millahh said:
Well, we can narrow things down slightly...Alpha (lead guitar) has an injured shoulder, so Water (bass) filled in on lead, with a session player off-stage playing bass. This was the FB post following the show:


So, there is real-time pedal switching happening, rather than it being automated.
Click to expand...
Children of Munich!

Last night turned out very special for all of us indeed, at a SOLD OUT Backstage.

Thank you all for the support and a big shout out to Water for filling in for Alpha yesterday (who in turn did the pedal switches from the side)... Again - A very special night.

THANK YOU!

/A Nameless Ghoul
 
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#53
Love this band. I've seen them three times already. They are great live.

As for the bass tone, I think it's in the amp. There are a million ways to get similar results. At the end of the day, overdriving a tube amp wins. It always has worked for guitarists, so why not on a bass? You can use pedals, or just use the gain knob on the amp. Either way, the tubes are the way to get the warm distortion we all crave.
 
#54
odin70 said:
Children of Munich!

Last night turned out very special for all of us indeed, at a SOLD OUT Backstage.

Thank you all for the support and a big shout out to Water for filling in for Alpha yesterday (who in turn did the pedal switches from the side)... Again - A very special night.

THANK YOU!

/A Nameless Ghoul
Click to expand...
I am very impressed with Water filling in for lead guitar. Pretty awesome musicianship. I know I can't fill in for our guitarist. Hopefully there are some videos from the concert.
 
#55
When you're wearing masks, anyone can fill in for anyone... so can a backing track. But, I've been listening to their records and dig their recorded material. I've been on a kick seeing industrial and metal shows in SF the past couple of years, so I may go see them when they come around.
 
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#56
So, I've been listening to a couple of their records (last two) and have grown to like the music and the vocals. I'm not really into the Satan thing, but dig the structure of their music and playing. I also have been thinking about the use of the Fractal Axe-FX system for everything... I do think it tends to make the music sound compressed, but that may be a studio thing as well.
 
#58
I stumbled acrosss this thread after already being a big Ghost fan for a few years, and also just getting a new bass yesterday.

My Darkglass Vintage Deluxe and a warwick FNA jazzman makes almost that bass sound without me even trying. I'm sure I could mimic it perfectly without trying too hard. I also have a B7K, both would be capable but I think the vintage more so.

Also, yes, to second what everyone else says they are excellent live - One of the tightest, best live bands I've ever seen and sounded amazing, true to the tones of the records and absolutely nailed the stage presence/themes they go for with their imagery and all that.
 

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