A semi-mysterious masked crossover thrash/death metal unit based out of Oakland, California, Ghoul's penchant for secrecy and morbid theatricality invokes names like GWAR, Ghost, and Death. Rumored to have bandmembers (code names Cremator, Digestor, Dissector, and Fermentor) with connections to acts like Impaled, Wolves in the Throne Room, and Exhumed, just to name a few, the group dropped their story-driven debut album, We Came for the Dead!!!, in 2002 via Razorback. Ghoul expanded on the narrative with subsequent LPs Maniaxe (2003), Splatterthrash (2006), and Transmission Zero (2011), which saw them make the move to Tankcrimes Records. 2014's Hang Ten EP paved the way for the release of their fifth full-length outing, 2016's Dungeon Bastards. In 2018, Ghoul joined forces with ILL Bill for a split single that featured "Pentagram" and "Splatterthrash 2: Thrash Damage." ~ James Christopher Monger