Ghost Bath

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Wikipedia

Ghost Bath
OriginMinot, North Dakota, U.S.
GenresBlack metal, blackgaze, post-black metal
Years active2012 (2012)–present
LabelsNuclear Blast, Northern Silence, Pest
Members
  • Dennis Mikula
  • Tim Church
  • John Olivier
  • Josh Jaye
Websiteghostbath.bandcamp.com

Ghost Bath is an American black metal band from Minot, North Dakota, formed in 2012 and fronted by Dennis Mikula. They have released five studio albums and one EP to date, melding black metal and post-rock music. They initially gained notoriety for marketing themselves as being from China.[1][2]

History

Originally the band claimed to have been from Chongqing, China.[3] Their 2014 debut studio album Funeral was released on Chinese record label Pest Productions. They then signed to German label Northern Silence Productions for the release of their second album Moonlover in 2015.[3] Upon gaining increased media attention, including critical acclaim from Pitchfork and Stereogum, the band was revealed to be from Minot, North Dakota and fronted by Dennis Mikula.[3] When asked why the band did not correct the false reports on their origin, Mikula stated: "We refused to correct people because we do not wish to put actual faces onto our music. It is our wish as a band to connect to all human beings."[3] In 2017, the band followed up Moonlover with Starmourner. In 2021, they announced Self Loather, the last album in the trilogy that began with Moonlover. In 2025, the band announced their fifth album, Rose Thorn Necklace, would be released on May 9 via Nuclear Blast.

Musical style

Ghost Bath is typically considered a black metal band,[4][5] but they blend the tremolo picking guitar play and shrieked vocals of the genre with the uplifting melodies and atmospheric qualities of post-rock.[2] Their style has thus been described as blackgaze[6] and post-black metal[7] and frequently compared to that of fellow American band Deafheaven, particularly on their breakthrough 2013 album Sunbather.[2][3]

Discography

Studio albums

EPs

  • Ghost Bath (2013)

References

  1. ↑ Kelly, Kim (February 27, 2015). "Is Ghost Bath Really China's Answer to Deafheaven". noisey.com. Vice. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 Nelson, Michael (January 8, 2015). "Ghost Bath-"Golden Number"". Stereogum. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Kelly, Kim (March 4, 2015). "From Velvet Cacoon to Ghost Bath: The Curious Anatomy of a Black Metal Hoax". noisey.com. Vice. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  4. ↑ Rothmund, David Lee (March 6, 2015). "Uplifting Depressive Black Metal: Ghost Bath's Moonlover". MetalSucks. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  5. ↑ Lawson, Dom (May 6, 2025). "Rose Thorn Necklace". Blabbermouth. Retrieved May 14, 2025.
  6. ↑ Kivel, Adam (March 12, 2015). "Ghost Bath – Moonlover". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  7. ↑ Leaver, Elliot (May 5, 2025). "ALBUM REVIEW: Rose Thorn Necklace – Ghost Bath". Distorted Sound. Retrieved May 14, 2025.