Chasing Ghosts is the third studio album by Australian post-hardcore band the Amity Affliction. It was released on 7 September 2012 worldwide.[1] Roadrunner Records handled the release worldwide. The theme of death and suicide is a centerpiece of the album. The album was influenced by Finch's What It Is to Burn (2002).[2] Chasing Ghosts debuted at No. 1 on the Australian albums chart with 12,911 first week sales,[3] 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.[4] Chasing Ghosts was certified Gold by the ARIA for 35,000 shipments in 2013.[5] It is their only record to feature guitarist Imran Siddiqi and the first without keyboardist Trad Nathan.
| Chasing Ghosts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 7 September 2012 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 41:22 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | Michael "Elvis" Baskette | |||
| The Amity Affliction chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Chasing Ghosts | ||||
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The title-track and first single from Chasing Ghosts premiered on Alternative Press on 4 July 2012.[6] 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
editShortly 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.[7] 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.[8] In June 2012, The Amity Affliction apologised for "vicious" statements made by the band in response to the controversy.[7] The poster art for the album tour depicted a facsimile of the album with the hanging man missing.
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Chasing Ghosts" | 4:22 |
| 2. | "Life Underground" | 3:56 |
| 3. | "R.I.P. Bon" | 3:37 |
| 4. | "Open Letter" | 4:22 |
| 5. | "Greens Avenue" | 4:35 |
| 6. | "I Heart H.C." | 3:57 |
| 7. | "Flowerbomb" | 4:00 |
| 8. | "Pabst Blue Ribbon on Ice" | 4:04 |
| 9. | "Geof Sux 666" | 4:13 |
| 10. | "Bondi St. Blues" | 4:23 |
| Total length: | 41:22 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 11. | "Born to Die" (Lana Del Rey cover) (titled "Too Legit to Quit" on some online stores.) | 4:11 |
| 12. | "Snicklefritz" (Youngbloods b-side) | 3:15 |
| 13. | "15 Pieces of Flare" (Youngbloods b-side) | 4:17 |
Personnel
edit- The Amity Affliction
- Joel Birch – unclean vocals
- Ahren Stringer – clean vocals, bass
- Troy Brady – lead guitar
- Imran Siddiqi – rhythm guitar (recorded the album before leaving the band)
- Ryan Burt – drums, percussion
- Additional musicians
- Clint Splattering – guitars on "Snicklefritz" and "15 Pieces of Flare"
- Trad Nathan – keyboards on "Snicklefritz" and "15 Pieces of Flare"
- Production[12]
- Michael "Elvis" Baskette – producer, engineer
- Will Putney – mixing, mastering
- Jef Moll – engineer, editing, loop, programming
- Kevin Thomas – assistant engineer
- Randy LeBouf – editing
- Zakk Cervini – additional editing
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[13] | Gold | 35,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- Citations
- ^ "Chasing Ghosts by the Amity Affliction". iTunes. 7 September 2012.
- ^ Kelham 2013, p. 42
- ^ Social media helps Amity Affliction album debut at #1 Archived 20 July 2016 at the Wayback Machine news.com.au. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
- ^ The Amity Affliction new album debuts at #1 killyourstereo.com. Retrieved 15 September 2012
- ^ ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2013 Albums Archived February 5, 2014, at the Wayback Machine ARIA. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
- ^ Colwell, Matthew (4 July 2012). "Song Premiere: The Amity Affliction, "Chasing Ghosts"". Alternative Press. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
- ^ a b "The Amity Affliction Apologise For 'Vicious' Comments In Cover Scandal".
- ^ "Roadrunner Records Latest News". Archived from the original on 13 November 2016. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
- ^ "Connecting to the iTunes Store". iTunes.
- ^ "Chasing Ghosts the Amity Affliction CD Album". CDJapan.
- ^ "Connecting to the iTunes Store". iTunes.
- ^ "Chasing Ghosts – the Amity Affliction | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2013 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
- Sources