Album Review: Spear of Destiny - Ghost Population
Reviewed by Dan Barnes
With nearly forty years operation under its belt, Kirk Brandon returns with his post-Theatre of Hate project, Spear of Destiny, for their fifteenth studio release, Ghost Population.
Having made waves back in the early eighties with the classic pairing of One-Eyed Jacks and World Service, there are moments on this new record when you could be forgiven for thinking Spear of Destiny had whisked you were back in time before Live Aid, when the frosty relationship between the US and Russia meant we lived under the yoke of nuclear conflagration. Can you imagine such a time?
Anyhoo – Ghost Population starts slow and steady, simple riffs folding into each other in an unmistakeably Kirk Brandon fashion. Shine rouses to a big chorus, leading into Clarion Call, a distinctly eighties-inspired piece, channelling the likes of New Model Army and with a hint of Bowie’s Heroes lodged into the riff. Evolution Day sees the band playing against a driving beat, delivering some demanding guitar shapes.
Even though both Neolythic by Design’s snaking guitars and conjuring saxophone and You’re the Only Thing’s mournful post-punk are reminiscent of Joy Division at times, to consider Ghost Population an anachronistic record would be to do it a grave disservice.
The earlier tracks do solidify the Spear of Destiny sound, but things start to take a turn with Ballad of the Dog, an acoustic led maritime shanty, dropping into a country sound before heading off into a soaring solo. Sounds chaotic but assuredly it isn’t.
The personnel behind Ghost Population is the longest-serving Spear of Destiny line-up and features members of New Model Army, Sisters of Mercy and The Mission and several musicians who double-up with Kirk in Theatre of Hate.
Drummer Phil Martini’s work here is particularly understated, with his militaristic beats complimenting the dirty guitar sounds of Waster and provides the laconic mood of Wreck.His partnership with bassist Craig Adams holds the ideas of the record together, whether that is in the eighties-inspired early part of the album or in the fuller, richer second half.
Adrian Portas and Kirk provide the six-string contribution and easily switch between the countryfied sounds of the aforementioned Ballad…, the Spanish guitar tones and dusty moods of Wreck or the thick slices of meaty riffs that make up Waster.
Rounding out the line are Steve Allen-Jones on keyboards and saxophonist Clive Osbourne, whose work on tracks like Clarion Call and Pilgrim compliment the aesthetic of the record as a whole.
Ghost Population reaches its crescendo in a quartet of big, bombastic tracks, full and rich and still with plenty to say. The Melancholy of Walter Sickert is a simple progression enhanced by the exploration of ideas; Coward 306 contains a ripping solo, whereas Bread & Circuses resurrects the not-dead punk spirit and stands in defiance against… well, everything, really.
Which just leaves the fat riffs and massive singalong of Forever Their England to bring Ghost Population to a close.
Kirk Brandon is perhaps the hardest working man in music, through his work not only with Spear of Destiny and Theatre of Hate, but also with The Pack and as part of Dead Men Walking. Jeremy Vine is quoted to have called Kirk one of the country’s great musical geniuses, while Jon Robb called Spear of Destiny criminally under-rated.
Forty years and fifteen records in and I’m inclined to agree with both Mr Robb and Mr Vine. If it’s been a while for you and SoD then check out Ghost Population and re-acquaint yourself; if you’re new here, then why not acquaint yourself with Ghost Population, then check out One-Eyed Jacks and World Service.
You’re welcome.
