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

metalcore Metalcore (also known as metallic hardcore) is a fusion music genre that combines elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. As with other styles blending metal and hardcore, such as crust punk and grindcore, metalcore is noted for its use of ...

band

the Amity Affliction The Amity Affliction is an Australian metalcore band from Gympie, Queensland, formed in 2003. The band's current line-up consists of Ahren Stringer (bass, clean vocals), Joel Birch (lead vocals), Dan Brown (guitar) and Joe Longobardi (drums). T ...

. It was released on 7 September 2012 worldwide.

Roadrunner Records Roadrunner Records is an American record label focused on heavy metal and hard rock bands. Founded in the Netherlands in 1980, it is now a division of Warner Music Group and is based in New York City. History The label was launched in 1980 in t ...

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 have stout conical bills adapted for eating seeds and nuts and often have colourful plumage. They occupy a great range of habitats where they are usua ...

's ''

What It Is to Burn ''What It Is to Burn'' is the debut album by American rock band Finch. It was released on March 12, 2002, through MCA and Drive-Thru Records. After finalizing their line-up, Finch signed to Drive-Thru. Recording for the album took place between ...

'' (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 A death growl, or simply growl, is an extended vocal technique usually employed in extreme styles of music, particularly in death metal and other extreme subgenres of heavy metal music. Death growl vocals are sometimes criticized for their ...

*Ahren Stringer –

clean vocals Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...

, bass *Troy Brady –

lead guitar Lead guitar (also known as solo guitar) is a musical part for a guitar in which the guitarist plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs and chords within a song structure. The lead is the featur ...

*Imran Siddiqi –

rhythm guitar In music performances, rhythm guitar is a technique and role that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with other instruments from the rhythm section (e.g., drum kit, bass guitar ...

*Ryan Burt –

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...

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

Zakk Cervini Zakk Cervini is an American record producer, vocal producer, songwriter, and mixing engineer. He was born in Monroe, Connecticut on June 2, 1993. Cervini's work includes collaborations with Simple Plan, Limp Bizkit, Blink-182, All Time Low, Mach ...

– additional editing

Certifications

References

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