{"id":3725,"date":"2025-11-16T00:36:42","date_gmt":"2025-11-15T21:36:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bagnik-zine.net\/?p=3725"},"modified":"2025-11-16T00:36:42","modified_gmt":"2025-11-15T21:36:42","slug":"%d1%80%d1%8d%d1%86%d1%8d%d0%bd%d0%b7%d1%96%d1%8f-ghash-exiled-within","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bagnik-zine.net\/en\/rev\/3725\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: GHASH \u2013 Exiled Within"},"content":{"rendered":"

Year:<\/span> 2025
\nLabel:<\/span> Werewolf Promotion<\/a>
\nRating:<\/span> 8,9 \/ 10<\/span><\/p>\n

The story of GHASH is shaping up very nicely so far, and I'm genuinely proud of what my little shits<\/del> protege already achieved. I remember writing about their first demo a little over a year ago, which was still very raw, but already hinted at potential. A month or two later, T.D. and I discussed the second demo, a much more mature one, and it was in that conversation that the idea was born to drag talented young men into our circle so that they would not get involved with any poser shitheads, and to release their demo on tape (as it turned out later, GHASH themselves understood quite well who's who on our scene). Time flew by quickly, and now GHASH's debut is coming out on Werewolf Promotion, and their projects are being released by Skon and Handful of Hate. Of course, they were helped, but the main thing is that both GHASH members are real prodigies, and \u201dExiled Within\" proves it.<\/p>\n

\"Exiled Within\" differs from previous releases in exactly the way that the album should differ from the demo. It's more grandiose, dynamic, epic, aggressive, high-quality, and so on. The slightly dreamy atmosphere of demos, at least partially caused by the limitations of amateur recording, was left behind, since the album was recorded at the iconic \"Jama\" with the help of T.D. and G.W. (the former performed the bass parts and the role of \"uncle\", while the latter played drums and, as usual, recorded, mixed and mastered the whole thing). \u201cExiled Within\u201d is loud<\/em>, unstoppable, magnificient and assertive. I would label the style of the album as \"Finnish\" - in the sense that it is a mixture of various traditional styles, multiplied by epic and dramatic presentation. It is impossible to say that GHASH's music is similar to one band or another. On the demo, you could guess that a particular piece was inspired by, for example, BURZUM. Here, everything is subconsciously familiar, but no names come to mind. The guys, metaphorically speaking, started sewing a patchwork quilt of other bands logos, but suddenly created a masterpiece worthy of a king. On the other hand, Orpheuses vocals are very much similar to Nergal's on \"Sventevith\". And that's great, because I've never heard such vocals... probably since I first listened to \"Sventevith\". This high-pitched distant scream with a strong echo is exactly what this music requires. It's a pity that there aren't enough vocals on the album.<\/p>\n

But the main function on the album is played by guitars, and this is the rare case when everything is so good that you don't even need to add anything. Both rhythm and lead parts captivate you from the opening riff. Nowadays, it is extremely rare to find albums where at least 90% of the riffs are in their place and are valuable not only in the overall structure of the composition, but also individually. Let's be honest: most modern albums are objects assembled from the parts of the same kit. They can be laid down in different sequences, repainted, and so on, but they have almost no independence. All this has already been played by someone else, and more than once. I can't say that about GHASH. Almost every riff and lead of them sticks in the memory, although everything is essentially the same tremolo stuff that runs three notes back and forth. I'm going to be humming the main riff from \u201dLosing Sanity\" for at least another year or two.<\/p>\n

The term \u201dpile on\" is unexpectedly well suited to the manner of the guitar playing of GHASH. The rhythm and lead work so intensely that they create the wall of sound. Just not in the \"atmospheric\" sense, but in the metallic one. It resembles either a powerful waterfall or an avalanche. Which is closer to you? Most of the tracks also have a keyboard support, but it's hard to hear it over the guitar and drum attack. Only in the last track (and this is a re-recording of my favorite GHASH song \"The Great Journey to the Existence\") the keyboards get an opportunity to breathe.<\/p>\n

It's hard for me to talk about the sound of the album. I was present in the studio during its recording, I heard the first mix, so my ears are a little \u201dclogged\". In the first mix, for example, the lead guitar in the first track sounded more prominent, but the rest of the tracks sound clearer in the final one. Obviously, a common listener doesn't know about this, so he should be happy. G.W. then said that the mix of \"Exiled Within\" would be perhaps the best of all that he had done, and I tend to agree with this assessment. The album really sounds very strong and deep. I won't say anything about the design of the CD release, since I haven't seen the original files, and the discs haven't reached Belarus yet. But I know that Szymon did miss an error in the title of one of the tracks, and I, being a blind fool, noticed it too late to ask him to fix it. <\/p>\n

\"Exiled Within\" is a very good album, one of the best this year (and it turned out to be quite rich in strong releases). As long as such works are being made in Krywia, our scene will flourish. I usually try to give the bands some kind of critical comments or recommendations, but there is very little to improve here. Well, maybe next time they should add more vocals, bring the concentration of outstanding riffs to 146% and to advance in their English language, because it's a bit clumsy so far. I know that GHASH are a little shy about their lyrics, so I emphasize it for them: this does not mean that them lyrics shouldn't be published. Not at all. They should be published. Obligatory<\/em>. Especially because these lyrics are pretty smart and even poetic in some sense.<\/p>\n

And the last thing I know: I will listen to this record again and again in the future<\/p>\n