Album Review: Wildcard Campfire "Where God Grew Tired"
There’s no escaping the growing presence of AI in music, and Wildcard Campfire is an interesting example of how this technology can be used to bring an ambitious creative vision to life. Behind this faceless project is Rom Burla, who writes the lyrics, riffs, melodies and song structures before using generative AI for the performance and production stages. Thanks to his transparency about the process, we know exactly where the human creativity lies and where the technology steps in. With Where God Grew Tired, he delivers a ten-track journey through a fictional world of rebellion, war, faith, personal struggles and the collapse of civilisation.
Let’s start with the production. There’s a certain polished, somewhat uniform quality to the sound that I’ve noticed in other AI-assisted productions, and unfortunately, this album isn't entirely free from that characteristic. I wonder whether future developments might allow creators to choose more specific production aesthetics, from the raw, dirty sound of early ’90s black metal in the vein of Burzum to the powerful, polished sound of modern metal productions. For now, I think we’ll have to be patient and see where the technology goes.
As a vocalist myself, I’m particularly interested in the vocals. I get the impression that the clean singing and harsh vocals have different characteristics, with the former sounding AI-generated and the latter seemingly closer to Rom’s own human delivery. There’s a slight disconnect between the two approaches, at least to my ears. Personally, I would have preferred a more consistent vocal identity, either entirely human or entirely AI-generated. That said, this is a subjective observation, and other listeners might not notice the difference as much as I do.
Where the album really shines, however, is its concept. Where God Grew Tired isn't simply a collection of heavy songs loosely connected by dark imagery. It presents an entire fictional civilisation, exploring how promises of salvation can become instruments of control, how rebellion evolves into generations of war, and how hatred can survive long after its original purpose has been forgotten. The three-part The Ashen Gospel forms the narrative backbone, moving from the rise of a false prophet to the devastating destruction of the world. Meanwhile, tracks such as “Paradise Has Walls” and “The Ghosts of My Past” bring these larger themes down to a more intimate level, examining forbidden love, trauma and the burden of memory.
The visual identity also suits the concept well. The AI-generated artwork fits the album’s dark, cinematic universe without becoming unnecessarily overwhelming. It complements the music and storytelling rather than distracting from them.
Musically, this is modern metal with plenty of technical ambition. Djent, melodic metalcore, deathcore, progressive metal and orchestral elements coexist across a surprisingly varied tracklist. The arrangements shift between crushing heaviness, melodic passages, cinematic atmospheres and moments of almost theatrical grandeur. There’s even a strong melodic metal flavour in places, with the guitar work on “Shackles of Blood,” the ninth track, bringing to mind the flamboyant, neo-classical spirit of Yngwie Malmsteen. Elsewhere, “Khinkali Inferno” and “The Legend of the Shanenigator” inject unexpected humour into the dark narrative, reminding us that even in a world consumed by conflict, people still need moments of joy and absurdity.
Ultimately, Where God Grew Tired is an ambitious debut that deserves credit for its imagination, musical diversity and transparent approach to AI-assisted creation. It isn't an album I'll necessarily return to on repeat, but I can appreciate its technical construction, cinematic scope and intricate storytelling. For me, it's the kind of record I would happily put on when I want to relax, immerse myself in another world and enjoy some modern heaviness without expecting it to become a personal favourite. Rom Burla has established a distinctive creative universe here, and I'm curious to see where Wildcard Campfire goes next.
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