The Ghost Inside
A light logo of two overlapping triangles within a circle, all on top of a darker background. The logo and background are both collages of smaller images of people's bodies tattooed with the same logo.
Studio album by
the Ghost Inside
ReleasedJune 5, 2020 (2020-06-05)
RecordedMay 2019 (2019-05)—February 2020 (2020-02)
StudioThe Audio Compound, Orlando, Florida; Graphic Nature Audio, Belleville, New Jersey
Genre
Length39:11
LabelEpitaph
Producer
The Ghost Inside chronology
Dear Youth
(2014)		 The Ghost Inside
(2020)
Singles from The Ghost Inside
  1. "Aftermath"
    Released: April 22, 2020
  2. "Pressure Point"
    Released: May 12, 2020

The Ghost Inside is the fifth album by American metalcore band The Ghost Inside. The album was released on June 5, 2020, through Epitaph Records. It is the band's first release since they were involved in a serious tour bus crash in 2015, and is also the first to feature rhythm guitarist Chris Davis, who joined the band in 2016 after serving as a touring member, and the first to feature Zach Johnson on lead guitar.

On November 19, 2015, The Ghost Inside's tour bus collided with a semi-trailer truck just outside of El Paso, Texas. Both drivers died, and several band and crew members received serious injuries; vocalist Jonathan Vigil sustained a fractured back, damaged ligaments, and two broken ankles, while drummer Andrew Tkaczyk spent ten days in a coma and had one of his legs amputated. Although they were invited on Warped Tour in 2017, The Ghost Inside had to cancel their performance, as they were still recovering from the collision. They held their first practice session in 2018, and began working on new music in early 2019. The album was produced by Jeremy McKinnon of A Day to Remember and Will Putney of Fit for an Autopsy.

The Ghost Inside was a return to form for the band, drawing comparisons to previous releases Returners (2010) and Dear Youth (2014). Music critics largely praised The Ghost Inside's technical skills within the metalcore genre, as well as the lyrical messages of hope and catharsis. While the album was not as commercially successful domestically as its predecessors, reaching only number 141 on the US Billboard 200, The Ghost Inside was a top-ten chart entry in Australia and Germany, peaking at number five and number six on the ARIA Charts and Offizielle Top 100 respectively.

Background

On the morning of November 19, 2015, the tour bus being used by metalcore band The Ghost Inside collided with a semi-trailer truck outside El Paso, Texas, while en route to a show in Phoenix, Arizona. The bus driver died, and one other fatality was reported in the accident.[1] While all members of the band and crew survived, many received serious injuries.[2] Lead vocalist Jonathan Vigil, lead guitarist Zach Johnson, and drummer Andrew Tkaczyk were taken by helicopter to the University Medical Center of El Paso, and were reported to be in critical condition.[3] On January 13, 2016, Vigil described his injuries in an Instagram post, which included a fractured back, damaged ligaments, and two broken ankles.[4] Two days later, Tkaczyk said he had been in a coma for ten days following the accident and that one of his legs had been amputated.[5]

On March 22, 2016, Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman announced via livestream The Ghost Inside would play at the festival in 2017.[6] Three days later, The Ghost Inside announced that touring guitarist Chris Davis, formerly of Texas in July, would be joining the band in a permanent capacity.[7] On February 10, 2017, Vigil announced the band members were not healthy enough to perform at the festival.[8] Lyman continued to hold a spot for them on future Warped Tours.[9]

The Ghost Inside held their first practice session since the accident on April 17, 2018, and shortly afterwards announced on Facebook that the band planned to return after recovery.[10] In January 2019, a fan asked the band on Twitter if they were working on new music; the band responded with a photograph of themselves.[11] On February 15, 2019, The Ghost Inside released samples of new material via Twitter.[12] On August 16, the band announced they would release a new album, and that they were working with Jeremy McKinnon of A Day to Remember and Will Putney of Fit for an Autopsy.[13] McKinnon had produced the band's two previous albums, Get What You Give (2012) and Dear Youth (2014); Andrew Wade also returned as an audio engineer from the production of Dear Youth.[14][15]

Composition and production

Described as metalcore[16] and melodic hardcore,[17] The Ghost Inside is a record that is intended to channel the sound of the band's 2010 album Returners.[16] Vigil told Josh Chesler of Spin the long hiatus between albums, coupled with the band's high-profile accident, meant "we knew we had to really deliver on this record. We couldn't sell anything short, and we had to give it all 110%."[18] Both the album's opening track "Still Alive" and its closing track "Aftermath" proclaim the band's triumph over tragedy, though not all the songs bear overt references to the bus collision.[19] Bassist Jim Riley said the album "isn't about what happened to us. We don't get lost in that one day. This is about our journey, our growth, and who we are."[20] Unlike The Ghost Inside's earlier albums, which aim to "take the listener on a journey from dark to light", the band chose to theme different songs on specific emotions, without necessarily focusing on a positive aspect at all in a given song.[21] Unlike most of the band's lyrics, "Pressure Point" notably uses profanity. The band generally avoids featuring it in their songs, but Riley stated that "sometimes you’re just so fed up that nothing less than a big loud fuck will get the job done".[21]

The production process began with two weeks of demo recordings at McKinnon's and Andrew Wade's studio, The Audio Compound, in Orlando, Florida, during May 2019.[22][23] The band took a break for their July comeback show,[23] and then finished the album at Graphic Nature Audio in Belleville, New Jersey, in February 2020.[22][23][24] All five members were present in the studio while recording The Ghost Inside, unlike the band's previous records, for which each member had recorded their parts individually.[25] The decision to self-title the album came when no other suitable suggestions could be found. Vigil explained that the original intent was to choose a title which accurately summarized the events the band members had gone through in the previous five years, but nothing they thought of was satisfactory.[26] The album's cover artwork is a collage of images of fans' tattoos dedicated to the band.[27]

Release and promotion

The Ghost Inside announced details of their upcoming album, as well as the first single "Aftermath" and its music video, on April 22, 2020. The band chose "Aftermath", as the album's opening single because it "allows anyone that listens into our world, but it also lets us put final punctuation on that chapter of our lives".[28] The music video for "Aftermath" opens with footage of the 2015 tour bus crash before showing Vigil performing at what appears to be the site of the accident, interspersed with images of Tkaczyk recovering from his injuries.[29] The album's second single "Pressure Point" was released on May 12; according to Riley, the band "embraced being pissed off and let it pour out through some of the most aggressive and pointed lyrics we've ever had".[21][30]

The Ghost Inside was released on June 5, 2020; the band chose to keep to the original release date despite the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Riley:

We don't know when things are going to go back to normal, so if we just sit here and wait for things to go back to normal, we could be sitting on this record for six months or a year. And what do we have to lose? Life is gonna be fucked up enough.[31]

The day of the album's release, Rashod Jackson of Bracewar accused Riley of using a racial slur against a tour bus driver.[32] Viewing the controversy as a threat to the band's comeback,[33] the Ghost Inside announced they had parted ways with Riley the next day.[34] By September, the other band members expressed regret over his dismissal;[33] when the band was able to tour Europe again after pandemic restrictions were lifted, Riley was playing with the band again.[35]

Reception

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic85/100[36]
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[37]
Dead Press![17]
Exclaim!9/10[38]
Kerrang!4/5[39]
NME[40]
Punknews.org[41]

The Ghost Inside was met with a positive response from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, The Ghost Inside has an average score of 85 based on four reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim".[36]

Many critics considered the record to be a return to form for the band; Paul Travers of Kerrang! reacted positively to the album sounding just as it would have had it not been for the band's inactivity following the accident.[39] James Christopher Monger of Allmusic said that it was "both invigorating and unsurprising when Vigil bellows 'TGI from the ashes, brought back to life' just seconds into the brief but punishing '1333'".[37] Despite most of the album displaying the band's own brand of metalcore and hardcore, Monger also noted post-metal influence in "Unseen", which he praised as "a late-summer storm before unleashing a blackened torrent that evokes August Burns Red by way of Agalloch".[37] Furthermore, he noted "Aftermath" similarly experimented with these sounds, but ultimately shared more in common with their core style.[37] Dannii Leivers of NME wrote; "we aren't here for a reinvention; we're here for a rebirth", and called The Ghost Inside "a towering statement of positivity" emerging from the band's hardship.[40] Owen Morawitz of Exclaim! said the album "proves that the band are back to operating at their creative peak", delivering what he judged as their strongest material.[38]

The album was additionally considered a triumph of the metalcore genre; according to Sam Houlden of Punknews.org, "whereas most [metalcore] bands excel in one area, TGI have managed to raise all aspects of their game to an equally impressive level and the result is something endlessly listenable", drawing comparisons to Counterparts, Stray From the Path, Knocked Loose and McKinnon's band, A Day To Remember.[41] Putney's and McKinnon's production was also praised; Zach Buggy of Dead Press! said Putney's work "lend[s] itself perfectly to everything from the crushing, mammoth breakdowns, to the shimmering, melodious hardcore the group have made their own".[17] Morawitz noted that while the band stayed true to their earlier roots as intended on "Pressure Point" and "Overexposure", tracks such as "Make or Break", "Begin Again" and "Aftermath" evidently drew from McKinnon's input and experience with A Day to Remember. The latter three tracks, by contrast to the former two, bore "sharper songwriting and catchier hooks".[38]

Commercial performance and accolades

The Ghost Inside had a strong showing on American rock charts. In the US, the album spent one week on the U.S. Billboard 200, coming in at number 141.[42] It also appeared on the US Top Rock Albums and Top Hard Rock Albums charts, peaking at numbers 14 and four, respectively.[43][44] In Europe, The Ghost Inside peaked at number six in Germany,[45] number 25 in Austria,[46] number 37 in Switzerland,[47] number 51 in Belgium,[48] and number 52 in Scotland.[49] Outside of the US and Europe, the album also appeared on the Australian ARIA Charts at number five.[50]

The Ghost Inside was included on Loudwire's list of "The 70 Best Rock and Metal Albums of 2020"; reviewer Graham Hartmann said the band "proved they could walk the walk with their self-titled album, giving fans a blueprint to navigate through their own trauma".[51]

Track listing

All tracks are written by The Ghost Inside

The Ghost Inside track listing[22]
No.TitleLength
1."1333"0:59
2."Still Alive"3:29
3."The Outcast"3:05
4."Pressure Point"3:50
5."Overexposure"3:52
6."Make or Break"3:22
7."Unseen"4:35
8."One Choice"3:26
9."Phoenix Rise"4:01
10."Begin Again"3:27
11."Aftermath"4:58
Total length:39:11

Charts

Chart performance for The Ghost Inside
Chart (2020) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[50] 5
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[46] 25
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[48] 51
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[45] 6
Scottish Albums (OCC)[49] 52
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[47] 37
US Billboard 200[42] 141
US Top Rock Albums[43] 14
US Hard Rock Albums[44] 4

Personnel

Information adapted from The Ghost Inside liner notes.[22]

References

  1. ↑ "The Ghost Inside involved in fatal bus crash". NME. November 20, 2015. Archived from the original on June 25, 2023. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  2. ↑ "The Ghost Inside involved in fatal bus crash". NME. November 20, 2015. Archived from the original on May 1, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  3. ↑ Childers, Chad (November 20, 2015). "The Ghost Inside Members Suffer Serious Injuries in Crash". Loudwire. Archived from the original on April 2, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  4. ↑ Biddulph, Andy (January 14, 2016). "The Ghost Inside's Jonathan Vigil: 'I'm Here World'". Rock Sound. Archived from the original on December 8, 2016. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  5. ↑ "The Ghost Inside drummer Andrew Tkaczyk loses leg following tour bus accident". BBC. January 15, 2016. Archived from the original on April 2, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  6. ↑ Whitt, Cassie (March 22, 2016). "The Ghost Inside will play Vans Warped Tour 2017". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  7. ↑ Lach, Stef (March 25, 2016). "The Ghost Inside add guitarist Chris Davis". Metal Hammer. Archived from the original on June 8, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  8. ↑ Hartmann, Graham (February 10, 2017). "The Ghost Inside Unable to Play 2017 Warped Tour". Loudwire. Archived from the original on June 24, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  9. ↑ Jamieson, Brii (February 28, 2019). "Kevin Lyman On The Ghost Inside: 'I Always Hold Open A Spot for Them on the [Warped] Line-Up'". Rock Sound. Archived from the original on November 7, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  10. ↑ Casteel, Beth (May 1, 2018). "The Ghost Inside share updates on the band's future". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on September 26, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  11. ↑ Darus, Alex (January 23, 2019). "The Ghost Inside tease first new music since 2015 accident". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  12. ↑ Rosenberg, Axl (February 15, 2019). "The Ghost Inside Release Samples of First New Material Since 2015 Bus Crash". MetalSucks. Archived from the original on November 7, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  13. ↑ Kaufman, Spencer (August 19, 2019). "The Ghost Inside's incredible comeback continues with work on new album". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on April 2, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  14. ↑ Get What You Give (booklet). The Ghost Inside. Epitaph Records. 2012.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ↑ Dear Youth (booklet). The Ghost Inside. Epitaph Records. 2014.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. 1 2 Hewgley, Hunter (April 27, 2020). "The Ghost Inside // Jim Riley". Kill Your Stereo. Archived from the original on January 24, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  17. 1 2 3 Buggy, Zach (June 5, 2020). "ALBUM REVIEW: The Ghost Inside – The Ghost Inside". Dead Press!. Archived from the original on April 2, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  18. ↑ Chesler, Josh (June 3, 2020). "The Ghost Inside Return 5 Years After a Fatal Bus Accident Almost Killed Them". Spin. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  19. ↑ Hohnen, Mike (April 23, 2020). "The Ghost Inside: A story that needs to be told". Blunt Magazine. Archived from the original on April 2, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  20. ↑ Skinner, Tom (April 22, 2020). "The Ghost Inside return with new single 'Aftermath', their first material since fatal bus crash". NME. Archived from the original on June 13, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  21. 1 2 3 "The Ghost Inside Share 'Pressure Point'". Epitaph Records. May 12, 2020. Archived from the original on October 28, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021. On this record we made a conscious effort to let individual songs explore different emotions we've been experiencing and not force them to have a positive turn.
  22. 1 2 3 4 The Ghost Inside (2020). The Ghost Inside (booklet). Epitaph Records. 87463-2.
  23. 1 2 3 Greenwood, Koltan (April 22, 2020). "Hear The Ghost Inside's first new song since 2014 with 'Aftermath'". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on December 19, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  24. ↑ Greenwood, Koltan (February 3, 2020). "The Ghost Inside drummer Andrew Tkaczyk confirms "the record is done"". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on September 27, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  25. ↑ Jackie, Full Metal (September 14, 2020). "The Ghost Inside's Andrew Tkacyzk a 'Better Man' After Band's Bus Crash". Loudwire. Archived from the original on April 2, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  26. ↑ Loftin, Steven (June 26, 2020). "The Ghost Inside: 'The accident showed us what this could be, what this means, and what this is'". Upset Magazine. Archived from the original on August 8, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  27. ↑ Rogers, Jack (April 22, 2020). "This Is Everything You Need to Know About The Ghost Inside's New Album". Rock Sound. Archived from the original on February 27, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  28. ↑ Kaufman, Spencer (April 22, 2020). "The Ghost Inside Announce Comeback Album, Unveil New Song "Aftermath": Stream". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on April 2, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  29. ↑ Skinner, Tom (April 22, 2020). "The Ghost Inside return with new single 'Aftermath', their first material since fatal bus crash". NME. Archived from the original on June 13, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  30. ↑ Childers, Chad (May 12, 2020). "The Ghost Inside Pummel with New Song 'Pressure Point'". Loudwire. Archived from the original on December 21, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  31. ↑ Weiner, Jonathan (April 22, 2020). "The Ghost Inside: We Have More To Write About Than The Accident". Kerrang!. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  32. ↑ Greenwood, Koltan (June 5, 2020). "The Ghost Inside bassist addresses backlash over use of racial slur". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on December 20, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  33. 1 2 Krol, Charlotte (September 17, 2020). "The Ghost Inside say they made 'wrong call' in firing bassist over racial slur". NME. Archived from the original on October 26, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  34. ↑ Smith-Engelhardt, Joe (June 6, 2020). "The Ghost Inside part ways with bassist after past racist remark". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on January 16, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  35. ↑ Droit, Christophe (April 16, 2022). "Jim Riley interview". Hard Force (in French). Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  36. 1 2 "Critic Reviews for The Ghost Inside". Metacritic. Archived from the original on April 2, 2021. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  37. 1 2 3 4 Monger, James Christopher. "The Ghost Inside - The Ghost Inside". Allmusic. Archived from the original on April 2, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  38. 1 2 3 Morawitz, Owen (June 3, 2020). "The Ghost Inside Rise from the Ashes of Tragedy on Triumphant Self-Titled Album". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on November 7, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  39. 1 2 Travers, Paul (June 4, 2020). "Album Review: The Ghost Inside – The Ghost Inside". Kerrang!. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  40. 1 2 Leivers, Dannii (June 5, 2020). "The Ghost Inside – 'The Ghost Inside' review: metalcore heroes' stunning testament to strength and bravery". NME. Archived from the original on June 8, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  41. 1 2 Houlden, Sam (June 6, 2020). "The Ghost Inside - The Ghost Inside". Punknews.org. Archived from the original on July 2, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  42. 1 2 "The Ghost Inside, Billboard 200". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 2, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  43. 1 2 "The Ghost Inside, Top Rock Albums". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 2, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  44. 1 2 "The Ghost Inside, Hard Rock Albums". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 2, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  45. 1 2 "Offiziellecharts.de – The Ghost Inside – The Ghost Inside" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  46. 1 2 "Austriancharts.at – The Ghost Inside – The Ghost Inside" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  47. 1 2 "Swisscharts.com – The Ghost Inside – The Ghost Inside". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  48. 1 2 "Ultratop.be – The Ghost Inside – The Ghost Inside" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  49. 1 2 "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  50. 1 2 "Australiancharts.com – The Ghost Inside – The Ghost Inside". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  51. ↑ Hartman, Graham (November 30, 2020). "The 70 Best Rock + Metal Albums of 2020". Loudwire. Archived from the original on February 17, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.


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