Genre/Influences: Gothic, cold-wave, dark-rock.

Background/Info: “Scales” is the second EP by Belgian formation Ground Nero. Singer Guido Wampers was previously involved with Portrait Bizarre. Together with his acolytes Ground Nero has now joined Danse Macabre to unleash this ‘maxi’ featuring 4 new songs.

Content: The main sources of inspiration running through this EP are clearly getting us back to the darkest hours of the 80s. The typical dark and doom-like guitar play joined by Wampers’ deep, cavernous timbre of voice are clearly evoking good-old souvenirs. The songs are reflecting a beautiful composition and supported with pure sadness.

+ + + : Ground Nero is into extremely dark and doom-driven music. I especially like the guitar playing awakening the 80s demons of cold-wave music. The tenebrous vocals only accentuate this obscure side, which excels on “Plethora”. I definitely want to hear more from this formation so I’m eagerly awaiting a debut full length album.

– – – : Ground Nero avoids any kind of innovation, but they got me curious to hear more stuff.

Conclusion: “Scales” is the kind of music getting the listener into an imaginary dark universe where the sun never rises at the horizon. This is music for the cold winter months.

Best songs: “Plethora”, “Parasites”.

Rate: (7½).

Artist: www.ground–nero.com / www.facebook.com/Groundnero

Label: www.dansemacabre–group.de / www.facebook.com/dansemacabrerec