For a few years now, after the release of their second effort, Returners, LA’s finest The Ghost Inside gained more and more recognition to rise and shine as one of the metalcore heavyweights. After endless touring around the world among Parkway Drive, Deez Nuts or Bleeding Through, it’s now time for them to prove they’re not just a hype band. And they’re not going to disappoint us.

Get What You Give, the band’s third full-length album and first release on Epitaph Records, confirms one thing: these guys obviously found the perfect formula to deliver fast, colossal and head banging anthems. ‘This Is What I Know About Sacrifice’ opens the album similar to how Returners started out. A gunshot leading to a huge breakdown as Jonathan Vigil shouts “This is what I know about sacrifice, meet me at the crossroads, lets go!” No waste of time. The intensity of the intro sets the mood of how heavy the rest of the album is going to be. Songs are running perfectly into each other and tracks like ‘Outlive’, ‘Slipping Away’ or ‘The Great Unknown’ are just outstanding and highly powerful.

But this record also shows some elements that we weren’t used to on TGI’s previous releases, like more clean vocals (‘Engine 45’, ‘Dark Horse’, ‘Thirty Three’, ‘Face Value’ which features Andrew Neufeld from Comeback Kid). This new orientation doesn’t make songs weaker but adds diversity to the whole thing. The Ghost Inside kept the loud and hard-hitting elements that made their success but also added a bit of variety, which is never a bad thing on a hardcore record.

The production is one of the record’s strength. Jeremy McKinnon (A Day To Remember frontman) did a great job by helping the band reach a new level while letting them keep their integrity and destructive sound. It’s obvious that his presence made the band sound more melodic, but it’s not as mellow as ADTR sometimes can be. The record is well balanced between catchy and aggressive songs. Another highlight that should be noted is the drum performance delivered by new member Andrew Tkaczyk (former For The Fallen Dreams drummer/songwriter). Drum parts and blast beats all sounds different and are executed with an incredible precision.

Inspired by the loss of Vigil’s brother (White Light), lyrics are heartfelt and motivational. It’s about being yourself and about the important things in life to keep in mind. Vocals (and gang vocals) are straightforward, raw, and impressive, as on the first two albums. Don’t expect less from guitarists Aaron Brooks and Zach Johnson than solid tones and epic breakdowns.

Musically, Get What You Give may sound close to Returners, and some fans might be sceptical about the more melodic tunes. However, the guys raised the bar to improve their sound and made it more varied, passionate and electrifying. It’s definitely an important step in their discography as you can feel the band progressed a lot. Just like their previous works, The Ghost Inside did an amazing job while offering something new. It won’t take you long until you scream along to every line and shout to every word. Get What You Give is a massive and relentless record to bang your head on, and it doesn’t look like TGI is going to slowdown.

Track list – Get What You Give

1. This Is What I Know About Sacrifice
2. Outlive
3. Engine 45
4. Slipping Away
5. The Great Unknown
6. Dark Horse
7. White Light
8. Thirty Three
9. Face Value
10. Deceiver
11. Test The Limits

The Ghost Inside: Facebook / Website

Written by Alex Tabankia