"Triumph over tragedy": The Ghost Inside release first song since 2015 bus crash, 'Aftermath' 

23 April 2020 | 8:04 am | Alex Sievers
Originally Appeared In

'Aftermath,' The Ghost Inside's first song in six years has touched down; a story of triumph over tragedy.

'Aftermath,' The Ghost Inside's first song in six years has touched down; a story of triumph over tragedy. 



All of us know The Ghost Inside's story. That terrible bus crash, the uncertainty, the life-altering injuries, the long road to recovery, their 2019 return in L.A. followed up by a triumphant return to Australia for this year's Unify. We're all familiar with how this very real story of heartbreak and strength has played out. Now, it's time for the American metalcore band's next and perhaps most important chapter: the aftermath, as a new sense of reflection and a new album come into view.

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The final song lifted off the band's upcoming fifth record, 'Aftermath' is very much a typical Ghost Inside song in tone and feel; the mixture of hardcore breakdowns and chugs, the super-charged screams, the emotive lyricism, the melodic guitars, and everything else fans have come to expect from them. With rising amp distortion over ambient guitars first setting the stage, the band's usual hulking metalcore grooves and hardcore riffs pave their way through the mix, lead by Jonathan Vigil's passionate screams and clean vocals, before the track loops back around to that serene starting point for its outro. It's a neat little package containing every aspect of their sound; from those nice melodic vocal hooks, that chunky "six feet underground" breakdown halfway through, to the track's burning emotional urgency of perseverance and hope conquering pain and defeat.

Directed by bassist Jim Riley, the music video for 'Aftermath' hauntingly begins with a local news report from 2015 about the deadly crash, before a montage of old and new studio, tour and live footage slams through, mixed in with the band performing the track mid-isolation as we see Vigil standing in what looks the actual El Paso, Texas area of where that life-changing accident occurred. Things become emotionally heavy when the song enters its melodic bridge part, the video shifts to the band's physical therapy and their 2019 return, showing that they're still here, still alive, still swingin' harder. Ending with a touching collage artwork piece of archive photos and fan tattoos, it's clear that 'Aftermath' is relative; for the band, it's them bouncing back from tragedy with feelings of new hope, but for all of their fans, it could be anything that they're individually overcoming, as the frontman put it on social media. That kind of relatability, that connection, has always been a huge factor in TGI's success and why so many love their music, and it remains steadfast here with what is one of the band's most important moments as a collective.

Personally, this is long and far away from being my favourite TGI song, but it's nonetheless a solid comeback tune for one of the scene's most well-loved Acts. It's better than anything that was off 2014's 'Dear Youth.' Yet let's be real: this new song and their forthcoming album will be highly talked up due to the context surrounding everything here, more so than what the actual musical content is like. However, just like when I witnessed TGI return to Australian soil at Unify back in January, I didn't think I'd ever see that day come to pass. So I also didn't think we'd ever hear new material from them, yet that's what today wonderfully brings with it: an endearing new track laying down the foundation for what's to follow later this year. And that makes me very happy; I cannot commend this band's determination and spirit enough.

Recorded with Will Putney and produced by A Day To Remember's Jeremy McKinnonThe Ghost Inside's self-titled album is currently due for a June 5th release.

This is a moment in time that so many have been waiting for. The beat goes on:



THE GHOST INSIDE TRACKLISTING:

1. 1333

2. Still Alive

3. The Outcast

4. Pressure Point

5. Overexposure

6. Make Or Break

7. Unseen

8. One Choice

9. Phoenix Rise

10. Begin Again

11. Aftermath