Through the Eyes of Ahab

On its debut THROUGH THE EYES OF AHAB, A Girl A Gun A Ghost, like Ferret label-mates EVERY TIME I DIE, cut a relentless fusillade of metal fury with just a light touch of melody. On “Lizard in the Lights,” Matte Wagner bemoans the false nature of trivial beauty, taking his primal scream vocals just to the brink of chaos before giving way to an unexpected chorus. It’s just subtle and undercutting enough to create a perfect friction, inviting an almost Fugazi-esque indie-dysfunction into the mix. The album remains in that precarious balance of hardcore fire and metal melody throughout.