The Five Hundred – Ghostwriter | Album Review

The third album by Nottingham based metalcore outfit The Five Hundred endeavours to take the listener on a harrowing sonic journey through a dystopian nightmare.

It’s been four years since the release of their second album, A World on Fire, which earned praise from a wide audience. While it explored themes of climate disasters and human oppression, The Five Hundred builds on that narrative with Ghostwriter, moving into a dystopian world. Given how the world is at the moment, it feels right on time.

Bursting out of the gate, the album opens immediately, showcasing cinematic riffs and soaring clean vocals. This provides a melody worthy of a full stadium singing the words—an impressive feat for a band that hasn’t been picked up by a major label. With its rich texture and anthemic vocals, this opening track has the potential to draw in a broader audience. Perhaps, in time, it will. The album guides the listener away from the opening track, building the narrative and imagining the world told in this story in a darker light. Sombre and more foreboding, the album feel abandons the cinematic atmosphere in favour of a heavier, more intense vibe. Aaron Matts of ten56 also lends his raw, barking vocals on ‘Rainmaker’, adding a gritty edge to the track’s already intense energy.

As the piece unfolds, it reveals a compelling balance between intricate melodic passages and guttural growls, creating an experience that never lets the listener rest in one place for too long. The album weaves towering riffs that gradually give way to more straightforward, yet catchy compositions. Listeners are transported into the futuristic landscape, imagining grey stark habitats and burned environments amidst hopeful riffs and soaring vocals.

A standout track, ‘Dragged Out’, encapsulates this balance perfectly, shifting from vocals that mirror the guitar riffs to catchy, hummable melodies. Just as the song seems to settle into its groove, it reaches its true emotional depth in the latter half, with a stirring collaboration with As Everything Unfolds. This section showcases a powerful exchange of duelling vocals, adding a layer of complexity and intensity that elevates the track to a new level.

While this album excels at delivering an evolving journey, it’s not without its caveat. The full arc of each song often requires attentive listening from start to finish. Unfortunately, not every listener may take the time to engage with the music in its entirety, and that would be a missed opportunity as each track benefits from the experience of being heard in full, allowing the subtle nuances to land. Other highlights worth noting include ‘New World’, ‘Echoes’, and ‘Chaos Sermon’. These tracks, though strong individually, shine brightest when heard in the context of the album’s unfolding narrative, reinforcing the idea that this is an album meant to be consumed in its entirety. The band expertly blends eerie calm with relentless emotion, crafting a tense atmosphere that keeps listeners on edge.

The album features notable collaborations from ten56, Sikth, and As Everything Unfolds, each adding their unique touch to the proceedings. Their contributions help add to the album’s rich tapestry, ensuring that the audience will find something new with each listen. Overall, ‘Ghostwriter’ is an impressive album, blending aggression with euphony and offering a deep, immersive listening experience that rewards patience.