Triumph Over Tragedy: The Ghost Inside is Back!

November 2015 changed the lives of each member of The Ghost Inside forever. While out on tour their tour bus was involved in a head on collision with an 18-wheeler. As a result the drivers of the tour bus and 18-wheeler were killed and the entire band, pictured above, and their crew had severe injuries and had to be rushed to the hospital. After a ten day coma and multiple surgeries drummer, Andrew Tkaczyk, had to have his right leg amputated just above the knee. To took years of healing and rehab for most of the members to be able to walk on their own again let alone even think about playing live shows. In April of 2018 the band had their first practice since the tragic accident and confirmed that "yes, there is a future" for the band. 

Well that future is here with the first new song since 2015 in the first single Aftermath. I was extremely excited to hear this song because it has been 5 years in the making and has so much meaning behind it. The song can be summed up in one lyric, "Triumph Over Tragedy". This song has the classic melodic sound that we have come to love from TGI and hits hard when vocalist Jonathan Vigil ushers in a hard hitting breakdown with "triumph over tragedy". The lyrics outline the story of the band dealing and working through the hard and difficult times of rehabbing and the mental tole that took on them. The song ends with Vigil singing which beautifully intertwines him screaming "the beat goes on". That final sequence shows and gives hope that no matter how hard a situation you are in, it will get better and you will continue on stronger than ever before. 

The music video is very powerful. As someone who has followed the bands tragic accident and staying up to date on how they were doing via social media I was very excited to hear the song as well as see the music video. What I was not ready for was the last part of the video. They show pictures and videos of what it was like for them over the last 5 years. It hits the emotions in a way that I did not expect. Jake Luhrs from August Burns Red did a reaction video to it and the emotions he expresses in that video sums up what I think a lot of people, including myself, felt while watching and hearing that video for the first time.  

The Ghost Inside is back and we have all been waiting and cheering them on for this moment over the last 5 years. 

August Burns Red Does It Again!

Guardians is here! 

When August Burns Red released the first single Defender I had the flu and was sick in bed. I have no idea what hit me harder, the flu or the massive breakdown that came out of nowhere in that song. They then released Bones and Paramount not long after. When bands write and record new albums I am always intrigued with the songs that they decided to release. Typically the first song a band would release caters to their core fan base and Defender is no different. It has everything you would expect in an ABR song and would get any fan of theirs pumped for what is to come. Bones and Paramount are more on the progressive side but are still bangers in their own right. The three singles were great songs to be the singles for the album. 

Guardians has something that we have never had before on an ABR album, vocalist Jake Luhrs singing. Lighthouse starts off with Luhrs singing and follows the typical song format of verse chorus verse chorus. This flow of a song as well as the singing is something that threw me for a loop when I first heard it, simply because we are not use to that from ABR especially the singing.

My favorite track of the album is Ties That Bind. ABR is known for their lyrics as well as their masterfully shredding of their instruments. This songs hit hard on both of those for me. ABR is unique where everyone writes lyrics for the band, with the lyrics for this song being written by guitarist Brent Rambler. This song is about going through hard times with people surrounded around you at love and care for you. Which I think we can all relate to during this weird time of being in a pandemic (stay safe out there folks). The music hits hard and shows off, once again, just how talented they are at their craft and BRING IT.

Overall, this album is exactly what you want and would expect from the bro's in August Burns Red. There is this stigma around that bands do not want to put out an album that people would expect them to put out in the fear of "writing the same album twice". I say, there is nothing wrong with doing that. This album was just what was needed during this time of quarantine. I will say it is probably their heaviest release since they released Messengers in 2008 which is their heaviest album they have come out with. This album slaps. End of discussion.

Take A Listen: 

Apple Music 

Spotify

YouTube