''Chasing Ghosts'' is the third studio album by Australian

post-hardcore Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. Like the term " post-punk", the term "post-hardcore" has been applied to a broad conste ...

band

the Amity Affliction The Amity Affliction is an Australian post-hardcore band from Gympie, Queensland, formed in 2003. The band's current line-up consists of Joel Birch (lead vocals), Dan Brown (guitar), Jonathan Reeves (bass, vocals) and Joe Longobardi (drums). Th ...

. It was released on 7 September 2012 worldwide.

Roadrunner Records Roadrunner Records is a Dutch–American record label focused on Heavy metal music, heavy metal and hard rock music. Founded in the Netherlands in 1980, it is now a division of Warner Music Group and is based in New York City. Formerly seen as ...

handled the release worldwide. The theme of death and suicide is a centerpiece of the album. The album was influenced by

Finch The true finches are small to medium-sized passerine birds in the family Fringillidae. Finches generally have stout conical bills adapted for eating seeds and nuts and often have colourful plumage. They occupy a great range of habitats where the ...

's '' What It Is to Burn'' (2002). ''Chasing Ghosts'' debuted at No. 1 on the

Australian albums chart The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...

with 12,911 first week sales, becoming the band's first No. 1 on the chart and being one of the very few rock bands to achieve that position in Australia. ''Chasing Ghosts'' was certified Gold by the ARIA for 35,000 shipments in 2013. It is their only record to feature guitarist Imran Siddiqi and the first without keyboardist Trad Nathan. The title-track and first single from ''Chasing Ghosts'' premiered on ''Alternative Press'' on 4 July 2012. Commenting on the song, frontman Joel Birch stated, "I wrote Chasing Ghosts as a narrative based wholly around someone that has committed suicide and has passed onto the other side. It's a story that I hope people will see for what it is; an example in song of why you should turn to someone close and talk instead of taking that last fatal step towards death prematurely. I just want to reiterate to people that once you're gone, that's it. There's no ghosts. There's no heaven, no hell, just finality and the wreckage left behind in the wake of their decision."

Cover art

Shortly after this album was announced, the album's cover was revealed. The cover depicts a man hanging from a tree who is thought to have committed suicide. The graphic nature of this image caused much controversy among social media and fans. The situation was very ironic due to the main message behind the album being anti-suicide and urging fans who feel suicidal to turn to people close to them and seeking help rather than taking their own life. In June 2012, The Amity Affliction apologised for "vicious" statements made by the band in response to the controversy. The poster art for the album tour depicted a facsimile of the album with the hanging man missing.

Track listing

Personnel

;The Amity Affliction *Joel Birch –

unclean vocals Vocalists are capable of producing a variety of extended technique sounds. These alternative singing techniques have been used extensively in the 20th century, especially in art song and opera. Particularly famous examples of extended vocal techniq ...

*Ahren Stringer – clean vocals, bass *Troy Brady – lead guitar *Imran Siddiqi – rhythm guitar *Ryan Burt – drums,

percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a percussion mallet, beater including attached or enclosed beaters or Rattle (percussion beater), rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or ...

;Additional musicians * Clint Splattering – guitars on "Snicklefritz" and "15 Pieces of Flare" * Trad Nathan – keyboards on "Snicklefritz" and "15 Pieces of Flare" ;Production * Michael "Elvis" Baskette – producer, engineer *

Will Putney Will Putney (born May 29, 1983) is an American record producer and musician based in New Jersey. He is the guitarist and co-founder of deathcore band Fit for an Autopsy, as well as the guitarist of metalcore supergroup End, and hardcore punk su ...

– mixing, mastering *Jef Moll – engineer, editing, loop, programming *Kevin Thomas – assistant engineer *Randy LeBouf – editing *

Zakk Cervini Zachary Joseph Cervini (born June 2, 1993) is an American record producer, vocal producer, songwriter, and mixing engineer. Cervini's work includes collaborations with Simple Plan, Limp Bizkit, Blink-182, All Time Low, Machine Gun Kelly, Yungbl ...

– additional editing

Certifications

References

; Citations ;Sources * {{Authority control 2012 albums The Amity Affliction albums Roadrunner Records albums UNFD albums Albums produced by Michael Baskette