This is the first album The Ghost Inside have released since 2014. The five band members have not been active since their frightful bus crash back in 2015 just outside of El Paso, Texas making this a highly anticipated and sort after album. However, the band have claimed that they will not let the incident define them so I won’t write more than I have. There are plenty of articles out there about this for those who aren’t in the know.
The self-titled album consists of eleven tracks, stuffed with big mouthfuls of tasty, chunky riffs, a comfortable split between clean and scream vocals from Vigil and Riley. Opening with a sixteen-second build-up from drummer Tkaczyk on ‘1333’ we hear Vigil shout repeatedly “T-G-I…From The Ashes, Brought Back To Life” over the short track; it’s a poignant and powerful opening to any album. They are back and ready to make their mark.
Watch the music video for ‘Aftermath’ here:
‘Stay Alive’ is quite an emotionally charged track, covering their hardships over the last four/five years. It really hit home how lucky the members are to be able to continue to not only live but to be able to play music. Many fans say that their favourite bands or songs helped them through the hardest parts of their lives but with TGI you certainly feel that the music is a real outlet, giving them something to fight for, something to look forward to making and performing once again. This then provides a truly cathartic album for both the band and its listeners.
This is a highly energetic, deeply heartfelt album. It conveys well the feelings of the members and what they’ve experienced and have continued to experience from tragedy. You can feel their gratitude in the music which gives a weight to the self-titled album.
A lyric from the finale song ‘Aftermath’ sums it up well “Triumph over tragedy”.
The Ghost Inside had planned a gentle return to playing shows but haven’t defined anything as a tour, more as one-off shows. However their long-awaited return has once again been further postponed around their various venues due to the outbreak of Covid-19, but I am sure fans will agree, this is better than cancelling shows outright. This will continue to be a lengthy return for TGI but one that will be ever more increasingly supported by their fan base. As the old adage goes “good things come to those who wait”.
The Ghost Inside will be released on June 5th.
