Compact Disc (CD)
On his third proper LP, the self-proclaimed “Satanic lord of slasherwave” fully embraces his hardcore and heavy metal roots. And while Possessor has its forked tongue firmly in its cheek—the album’s intro is built from samples of news reports from the “Satanic Panic” era—it’s hard to blame GosT for going big as a way to stand out in a crowd of second-wave synthesists who’ve watched way too many episodes of Stranger Things.
Very little of Possessor can be traced back to usual synth suspects John Carpenter or Goblin. Aside from a few brazen new wave numbers vaguely reminiscent of Cold Cave (“Sigil,” “Malum”) and several atmospheric segues (Barbara Walters makes an appearance, introducing an exorcist), GosT sounds determined to mine more extreme music for inspiration. The one-two punch of “Beliar” and “Legion” include clear nods to black metal and doom, and parting shot “Commandment” starts with hollow church bells and the distant cry of crows, but quickly heads straight into a scorched fusion of leathered-up techno loops and death-mask melodies.
GosT calls the album a “cross between Anaal Nathrakh and Justice,” but Possessor adds up to much more than just A + B = One Hell of a Noise Complaint. It lays out two clear paths for the producer’s next move: poison-tipped pop, or a full circle return to the blood and thunder his Finnish label once specialized in. Maybe he should simply ask the question, “What would Satan Do?”
