I Am Ghost – Those We Left Behind

Despite their relatively recent genesis from their Long Beach scene in 2004, I Am Ghost has taken off running at breakneck speed and shows no signs of slowing down. Their second full-length album, Those We Leave Behind has cemented their place in the hearts of fans worldwide, with a particular emphasis in their hometown of Long Beach and neighboring Orange County.

Those We Leave Behind was my first exposure to I Am Ghost, and despite lingering similarities to an Avenged Sevenfold style of sound, I found much more worth listening to in the 14 tracks. I Am Ghostoriginally set out to create their own genre—a type of brooding, dark screamo with shredding metal guitar riffs that do the band the justice of elevating them past the stereotypical eyeliner-wearing, SoCal angry emo kid crowd. Though I would not go so far as to say that they have created their own genre, what they do with their set of skills is creative enough to give them legitimate credibility.

The tragic, mournful lyrics and haunting melodies are offset by double bass rhythms and screaming guitar solos to make Those We Leave Behind the quintessential crossover album between screamo and metal. The upbeat power ballad “Don’t Wake Up” keeps your adrenaline pumping hard enough to get you through the depressing lyrics, but expect some solemn moments throughout the track “Saddest Story Never Told”. Without question, my favorite track was “Bone Garden”, mainly due to its perfect meshing of radically different musical elements. A horrifying post-hardcore intro gives way into pulse pounding guitar riffs that are impossibly catchy. Another easy-to-love track, “So, I Guess This Is Goodbye,” combines unexpected Spanish sounding acoustic guitars with a dance-y melody and trademark screaming metal riffs. If there is any serious fault to this album, I would say that at times the repetitious depressed subject matter hangs too heavily over the album, but overall, while I find it hard to appreciate an album that selects and then harps on one particular atmosphere or theme, there is enough variation musically to save Those We Leave Behind from falling into a rut.

This particular album comes after two solid years of touring and several band member changes, so it’s understandable that frontman Steve Juliano has much more to offer than in their previous EPs and earlier first album. With their secure home on Epitaph Records, a substantial fan base worldwide and an undeniable passion for the music itself, it’s safe to say that I Am Ghost will continue to thrill audiences with many subsequent hits.