Hailing from Bristol, Civil War Ghost is a lo-fi punk project led by musician Oliver Cant, whose unapologetically audacious sounds have recently been shaking the rock scene of the UK. Within the chaotic confines of this musical venture, Oliver Cant orchestrates an exploration into the collision of harsh sounds, technical intricacies and profound lyrical context.
The band’s name, extracted from a satirical magazine article, provides a glimpse into their darkly humorous approach to music resulting in a sound that’s at once sonically dissonant and lyrically powerful. Guided by an aesthetic of “sarcastic nihilism,” Civil War Ghost revels in portraying the comedic aspects of an impending apocalypse.
Drawing inspiration from the likes of Queens of the Stone Age and Fugazi, the band’s influences reverberate through their sound, a unique blend that was first introduced to the world with their debut single, “Casino,” in October. Now following the impact of their first outing, they’re building on their creative momentum with their latest release, their sophomore track titled “Just Tell Lies.”
This brash, post punk track is a reverb-soaked exploration of lies, both innocent and monumental. It glances at the complexities of falsehoods, inspired by the quote: “Artists use lies to tell the truth, whilst politicians just tell lies.” The track is an agitation, a questioning of the entities shaping the tales that construct our reality, probing into the manufacturing of consent and its underlying motives.
Starting off with the patter of drums, Oliver’s belted vocals ring out as he repeats “just tell lies” over the march of the beat before the thick fuzz of guitar enters to inject gritty rock energy. Spinning smooth vocalisations in the loose chorus structure, the lead refrain returns to build up anticipation as the crash of guitar launches a rousing finale of pounding drums and crunching guitars.
It’s a potent modern punk anthem delivered by a band that refuses to sit within expectations and instead crafts a bold musical output packed full of raw rock power and emphatic writing. With another single lined up and their upcoming debut five-track EP on the horizon, 2024 is set to be a breakout year for this raucous rock band and their rebellious sound.
Listen to Just Tell Lies below
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