Track-by-Track: Ghosts of Hope Sift Through Their EP ‘From The Ashes of a Tethered Heart’

Ghosts of Hope is hitting a milestone today with the release of From The Ashes of a Tethered Heart. The primary milestone is that it is the metalcore band’s debut EP and the truest introduction to them as a musical unit. The release of the EP was preceded by the release of their single “Sanctified” last month. The song is a nice representation of the band’s sound and influences. It combines colossal guitars and a mix of heavy and melodic elements. There are atmospheric qualities to the song that you can hear further hashed out through the entirety of the new EP. It’s an impressive wall of sound from a band that formed only barely two years ago in New York. The primary bonding quality of the band members was their mutual love of early 2000s heavy rock.

From the Ashes of a Tethered Heart is a representation of the lived experiences of the band members. Those experiences are relatable, which the band hopes will create an environment of community and a safe space, so to speak. The topics they cover include mental health struggles, the complexity of relationships with other people, and substance abuse. It’s a raw approach to songwriting and storytelling that’s very much focused on inclusivity. While there might be some sombre moments throughout, Ghosts of Hope “hopes” that you find positivity and confidence in their music.

Ghosts of Hope join us today for the exclusive Track-by-Track rundown of their debut EP, From The Ashes of a Tethered Heart.

1. “Sanctified”

“The primary instrumental story centered around a raw feeling of anger and angst. This song was born out of the desire to write something that encapsulated those feelings and the breakdowns and choruses had heavy influence from The Used instrumentally and vocally, and the melodic aspects were also inspired by Sleep Token.

“This track is where the journey of the EP begins: at rock bottom. This track wastes no time in throwing the listener right into the dark, heavy landscape of the mental inner workings of a suicide attempt and follows the experience from beginning to end. The lyrics of this song take on themes that are as heavy as the instrumentals that underscore them, following themes such as religious trauma, feelings of hopelessness, and struggling with the concept of salvation.

2. “Martyr”

“The chorus was heavily inspired by Evanescence and the breakdown had a heavy Linkin Park influence, a true culmination of two of our major musical inspirations This song was originally a ‘scrapped’ song that Oli wrote as a solo artist in 2020, originally titled ‘Head Above Water.’

“While the title changed, the meaning stayed the same: a story about a personal struggle with substance abuse, depression and the links between the two. This song is a reflection on the darker parts of a healing journey, the ones that feel taboo or like they aren’t really healing at all but actually quite self-destructive.”

Ghosts of Hope ‘From the Ashes of a Tethered Heart’ album artwork

3. “Liminality”

“This track started in a spur-of-the-moment experimentation, off-the-cuff jam session. It was inspired by nu metal grooves, reminiscent of bands such as Flyleaf and Linkin Park The energy of this song is very ‘bouncy’ with a triumphant build-up in the bridge after a sentimental slow down and more solemn, sentimental verses.

“The instrumentals mirror the duality of emotions in this song– the feeling of being caught between wanting to heal and not feeling worthy, feeling detached, unsure, and lost, feeling like you are in between two states of being – in a ‘liminal space.’ This song is a reflection on that awkward middle point in a healing journey, the point where you are finally starting to want to get better but you don’t even know where to begin, where you feel completely stuck at a fork in the road. Or as the song puts it ‘tethered in liminality.’ It is less of a direct personal allegory than the other tracks and more of an open reflection on a more universal experience of surviving trauma.”

4. “Downfall”

“The heavier, more punchy instrumentals were heavily inspired by bands like Breaking Benjamin and Atreyu. The clean, ethereal but haunting guitar lead serves as a build-up of suspense and tension, almost a warning sign of the darker parts ahead In a literal sense.

“The lyrical story of this song is about a person leaving an abusive relationship feeling defeated by the violence they experienced but slowly finding their own power and voice again. It was based on a personal experience in our vocalist’s life and marks a turning point in the thematic journey of this EP, it solidifies the choice to choose oneself and not look back.

“This song served as a perfect debut single because the contrast of the haunting guitar lead and the anthemic chorus seemed to encapsulate both the ‘ghost’ and the ‘hope’ aspects of the band name.”

5. “Pyromania”

“The fast, groovy bass line of this song was heavily inspired by Muse, while the octave guitar parts were inspired by bands such as Paramore and Underoath. As the song came together with all of its explosive energy, it took a shape that has evoked comparisons such as Greyhaven, Cane Hill, and Every Time I Die. This song was written to get a crowd moving and off their feet, echoed in the call out “get up get up” and the two-step riff that is repeated throughout.

“Pyromania” was written as a testament to choosing the path of healing after a long road of trauma and struggling to feel worthy of a fulfilling, healthy life. It outlines the experience of finding the flame within yourself that lights your path.”

6. “Reflections”

“This was the third song that our guitarist ever wrote. It was a piece that broke out of his comfort zone as a musician and a writer and was an expression of coming to terms with past experiences that felt sombre or heavy. The instrumentals are soaring and ethereal and have a tinge of bittersweet nostalgia, being the only ballad-type track on the EP.

“Conceptually, a major inspiration for this track was the song ‘Strangers’ by Ethel Cain. In an interview, she described the song, which is the closing track on her album Preacher’s Daughter, as ‘the rolling credits screen at the end of the film’ whereas the track prior was the end of the narrative that the album follows. Upon hearing that, Oli cemented the vision of this reflective piece as something very similar. While ‘Pyromania’ tells the end of the ‘story’ this song is the post-credit scene. It is a reflection, hence the name, on the entire journey from point A to Z and makes lyrical and thematic callouts to every other track on the EP.”