GHOST9 Returns to a Dystopian Future
Just three months after their initial debut, GHOST9 is back with a new mini-album featuring title track “W.ALL!” The group is once again capitalizing on the dark and intense concept with a little bit of a personal twist.
The Title: “W.ALL”
“W.ALL” does appear to be a continuation of the debut track “Think of Dawn” both in sound and in storyline, but that will be discussed a little later. The song itself has the same driven intensity as the debut title, but with a bit of a different flavor. The song is a bit more subtle to kick off, with a distant beat building up to the full drop, which leaves you yearning for more when it doesn’t hit as hard as expected. There are more EDM undertones in this track, obvious by the driving beat and crescendo at the chorus. If you listen closely you’ll hear a knocking noise that is very similar to Stray Kids’ “Back Door,” an interesting element to throw in just before the beat drop. The composition is a pretty generic formula, but GHOST9 adds some additional melodic elements to keep you on your toes. So if you’re a fan of the hard-hitting stuff, you’ll definitely enjoy this track. In our opinion, it has a bit more staying power than “Think of Dawn.”
The video is where the real story is at. The sets also appear to be a continuation of the group’s debut, with a sort of dystopian future ruled by robots being the main focus. There’s still a heavy focus on neon light, and many of the scenes appear to be shot in the dark to drive home the darker nature of the concept. It takes the special effects up a notch, highlighted by the massive robot at the beginning of the video. The scene looks like something straight out of Transformers—not exactly expected from a group from a smaller agency. Regardless, the video is pretty enjoyable and does a great job of solidifying the intensity of the concept.
The Album
New mini-album PRE EPISODE 2: W.ALL kicks off with an epic intro “Peace,” meant to set the tone of the album. The track picks up where “Think of Dawn” left off, with the intro boasting the same melodic line though in softer undertones. This is meant to tie the two albums together, which is immediately apparent.
“SPLASH” is the first full track on the album, and is somewhat of a surprise in how soft it comes off compared to the strong intensity of the intro. The whole tone of the track is lighter, but the beat is particularly addicting and holds on just a little bit to the darker tones set by the title track. “Red Sign” follows after the title, continuing to push the strong and in-your-face dark concept, but this time with hip-hop influences. Where “W.ALL” had significant roots in EDM, “Red Sign” clearly focuses more on hip-hop as the main driving genre. It’s a nice branch of what the group has released so far, bringing in a new musical flavor to their repertoire.
“Focus” comes with a more subdued melody that places heavier focus on the vocals and tones down the intensity of the backing melody. Interestingly enough, the strength of melodies in the previous song is not as apparent until “Focus” comes in, showing a different side to the group and bringing light to how hard they’ve gone this whole time. It strikes an interesting balance on an album that would otherwise be totally fierce from start to finish. Finally we wrap up with “Way to you,” which right off the bat gives “Wave” by ATEEZ vibes. It’s a stark contrast to the other songs, bringing in a softer pop sound that is the complete opposite of the concept presented by the title. If you’re not the biggest fan of “W.ALL,” “Way to you” will probably grab you. The change in sound definitely makes you stop and think for a moment.
PRE EPISODE 2: W.ALL gives an overall feeling of a simple continuation to the debut album. This is good news for anyone that enjoyed the debut concept or prefers darker concepts in general, but fans that were looking for something different won’t find it here. Regardless, the quality of the album is still pretty high, and the songs are enjoyable. It’ll be interesting to see where GHOST9 will go with their concepts moving forward.