French band Ghost Anthem started out with an obsession with Scandinavian metal and has developed into a delicious modern metalcore meets death metal sound that they describe as “melodic, positive and honest.”
The Parisian five-piece began with a couple of guys who obsessed over Scandinavian metal writing music in a bedroom and dreaming big. They brought in the right people, who were not only great musicians bt shared the same drive and mindset, before completing the lineup with their latest guitarist – who just so happened to live in the same building as their bassist.
On the sound they’ve crafted, they told us: “We blend the intensity of modern metalcore with the melodic soul of Scandinavian death metal. Riff-driven, emotionally charged, with dynamic vocals that swing from raw screams to soaring cleans. If you like your music heavy but heartfelt, we’ve probably got something for you.”
Our latest taste of this is their excellent new single Redemption, which was released last week and gives us plenty to be excited about for their upcoming debut album. It opens up with a big drum roll and a darting guitar riff that sets up fast-paced guitars and big driving drums that continue under intense screamed vocals. Clean vocals jump in and more screamed vocals tee up a big singalong chorus “Haunted by this hatred, Sink into the abyss, the road you chose to follow, While losing every piece that was once your home, Leaving a trail that leads to salvation.”
A big cry of “Come back and strive for redemption” sets up another intense verse supported by piercing synths. The pace slows with a rolling guitar and heavy vocals come in, end with a “bleugh” and set up a more atmospheric section that culminates in a fun guitar solo. That tees up a big chorus before a heavy outro.
On the track, they told us: “Redemption is hands down the heaviest track on the album – all-out energy from start to finish. That’s why we chose it as the lead single. It hits hard, but there’s real emotional weight too, especially in the chorus. We had a blast creating the music video for it – the narrative came together naturally thanks to the mood of the song.
“So far, the reception’s been great — especially considering our community is still growing. Up until now, we’d only released an EP. Redemption is the first big step into the album era for us – 13 new tracks, much more depth, and a huge leap in production quality. The feedback’s been fuel. We can’t wait to show people what’s coming next.” Check it out in the video here:
As alluded to, Redemption is the lead single from Ghost Anthem’s debut album, which should be released in June, with a few more singles released in advance. “This album has been four years in the making,” they told us. “And we’ve poured everything into it – time, energy, emotion. It’s been frustrating at times, especially in the final stretch, when you just want the world to hear what you’ve built.
“Expect an album that’s diverse but cohesive – heavy bangers, introspective ballads, and a few experimental tracks that draw from influences like Bring Me The Horizon or even thrash metal. Lyrically, it’s deep and personal. Like our first EP, the lyrics come from a real place, but we’re not here to wallow in sadness. We’re not about glorifying pain. We’re about acknowledging struggle, and pushing through it. Our songs are meant to lift people up — not by pretending everything’s okay, but by reminding them they’ve got power.”
We also asked the band to provide a few teasers by letting us know their favourite tracks from the album, and they picked out three:
“My Own End: The bridge on this one gives us chills every time. The lyrics hit hard, and the lead guitar takes it to another level.
From Wounds to Scars: It’s slower, more emotional. One of the most vulnerable songs we’ve written.
Chaos: This one kicks off with a killer intro and features a choir we collaborated with. That session was unforgettable — a real moment for the band.”
If that sounds good to you, then whet your appetite for what’s to come by checking out the band’s 2020 debut EP, which includes huge tracks like I Found Hell and Last Call For Wonderland.
The Ghost Anthem sound draws heavily on Scandinavian melodic death metal, including bands like Insomnium, In Flames and Dark Tranquillity, and modern metalcore bands like Architects, We Came As Romans, As I Lay Dying. And the band aim to reconcile both those worlds through “modern production and old-school soul.”
And on what inspires them to write music, the band explained: “Our songwriting always starts with a theme – something introspective or philosophical. One we come back to a lot is the art of letting go. There’s a lot of Stoicism in our lyrics: accept what you can’t control, focus on what you can, and know the difference. We’re not trying to preach – we just write what we live and think about.”
We’re loving the sound of what we’ve heard from Ghost Anthem, and we’re excited for what’s to come on the debut album, which will be out in June. The band then plans to take the album on tour and will be announcing gig dates shortly.
And they added: “That’s why we built this band in the first place – to be on stage. It’s been a long time coming, and we’re hungry for it and can’t wait to share these songs in the flesh. More than anything, we hope people connect with our lyrics and sound. We’re not trying to fit into a box, just make music that feels true, and that maybe gives someone a bit of strength when they need it most.”
You can follow Ghost Anthem on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, and check out their music on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer and YouTube.
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