Ghost Thrower – Get Miserable
Release Date: April 19, 2011
Record Label: Equal Vision
After Therefore I Am split up, guitarist Travis Alexander's only move was to continue making music. Quite honestly, Alexander was going through hell at the time, so creating some cathartic tunes was just what he needed and thus Ghost Thrower was born. Joining him were musicians well versed in life's hardships, former Shipwreck A.D. bassist Nick Webster and Robbie Rose, the ex-drummer for Bravo Fucking Bravo (guitarist Ben Anderson rounds out the group). Their proper Equal Vision debut EP, Get Miserable, is exactly what the title states – five aggressive and gritty tracks that swell with urgency and desolation.
There is nothing glamourous or flashy about Get Miserable. From the initial rumble of the title track (which appropriately ends with Alexander screaming “What the fuck!!!”) to the wounded lusciousness of closer “Prima and Sinatra.” The EP flows in the vein of bands like Fear Before and Touche Amore, as guitars thrash and crash throughout. “I Never Damned You” is a surging blast of post-hardcore that illustrates Alexander's isolation (“I've been beaten alive/I've been beaten to death by life/I want to die”).
Alexander's calloused lyrics are straight up real talk; he isn't bullshitting with you. But they aren't aimlessly hopeless, as the emotion and conviction behind them give off a sense that Alexander and company are battling all the curves life throws at them.
Fans of Therefore I Am should dig Get Miserable, even though Ghost Thrower offers a more chaotic and dirty sound. Where the EP succeeds is the band's ability to lace their aggression with catchy hooks, as each track will bounce around in your head for a while. At the end of the day, Alexander's words will resonate with any listener who has experience their own tough times.
can't wait to hear the full thing. all i heard was the 3-song demo that was up when they were first putting this project together.... really excited to see where travis goes with this though
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