Album Review: Voyager - Ghost Mile
Reviewed by Paul Hutchings
Now seven full length albums into a career that spans over two decades, Australian progressive outfit Voyager have decided to reissue 2017’s ‘Ghost Mile’ on vinyl for the first time. That gave me a chance to rediscover one of the most exciting albums in the progressive world and one that in many ways is a defining moment for progressive metal now. ‘Ghost Mile’ was the band’s sixth album and probably provided the commercial breakthrough that the band so richly deserved. 2019’s ‘Colour The Sun’ continued the rich vein that throbs throughout this uplifting record.
‘Ghost Mile’ is full of beautifully structured tracks that highlight the band’s qualities. A blend of heavy riffing, delicate keyboards and rich melodies, the undercurrent of djent style bass picking and the distinctive vocals of founder member Daniel Estrin. Unlike many of their counterparts, Voyager keep their tracks short, with the longest song on the album ‘As The City Takes The Night’ only just over six minutes in length.
Voyager’s sound is lush and multi-layered, laced with hooks that will keep you humming for hours. Check out ‘Lifeline’ as an example. The album opens with the soaring drama of ‘Ascension’, an inspiring, stirring track and one of the band’s modern anthems. Gentle ethereal elements haunt and hang; the two minutes of ‘To The Riverside’ is a melancholic interlude which provides chance to pause in amongst the maelstrom of soundscapes that envelope this album.
The title track allows the band to flex their metallic muscles, jagged riffs intersperse the driving drumming, the choppy riffing juxtaposed with Estrin’s spiralling voice, whilst the occasional death growls don’t seem out of place. The chorus adds an infectious hook that demands your attention, whilst the blast beats that propel the song to its climax are brutal. There is a beautiful and delicate contradiction within ‘Ghost Mile’, the opulent seams of melody contrasting with the band’s seemingly relentless desire to add a metal frame to each track. And then there is the electronica edge of ‘What A Wonderful Day’ that takes influences from Depeche Mode, Talking Heads and The Pet Shop Boys but at no time veers too far away.
With three live tracks added from 2017’s Prog Power event, Voyager are able to demonstrate in recording what those who have seen the band in the live arena already know; they are simply superb. Humble yet confident in their own ability, this is an album that deserves more prominence. Released on 10th July on Seasons of Mist, it provides a welcome opportunity for fans to pick up a vinyl copy for the first time.
