May 4th, 2024 The Ghost Inside, Paleface Swiss, Bleed From Within, and Great American Ghost: Wash It Away Tour at Baltimore Soundstage.
- Mark Frahn
- May 18, 2024
- 9 min read
On May 4th, 2024 the heavy hitters The Ghost Inside brought their Wash It Away Tour to Baltimore Soundstage with some of the hottest bands in the metalcore/deathcore scene, Paleface Swiss, Bleed From Within, and Great American Ghost. Together, these bands had the building shaking, wild mosh pits taking up the greater portion of the room, and endless crowd surfers pouring over the railing like a waterfall. From Great American Ghost taking to the crowd and surfing, to Paleface Swiss's first ever Soundstage wall of death, the entire night was electrifying, and The Ghost Inside's heartfelt performance, there wasn't a person standing still as each bands had the place roaring for more. There were even tears flowing from the crowd as a lot of the music played was deeply meaningful to the band and the fans.
Great American Ghost
Great American Ghost, a metalcore/deathcore band from Boston/New Hampshire USA, formed in 2012. Labeled as Boston's "harshest and most furious export" (Last.fm) these guys pack a serious punch and opened the show exactly how you expect they would, with pure fire and energy. Built on the belief that nothing is off limits when it comes to art and the band, many of their songs are emotionally deep that touch upon some of the problems we face as humans. They started off with 'Kingmaker' off of their 2022 EP "Torture World". The focus of this song is actually politically driven as the singer, Ethan Harrison, was fed up with the racism and the spreading of false information. Following up with their song 'Womb', also off of the "Torture World" EP, and arguably one of their heaviest songs on the setlist, lit a fire in the crowd as the pits became a wild sight and the first surfers began to ride the crowd to the front. They went on to perform their newest single at the time, 'Hymm Of Decay', under their new label, SharpTone Records. This song is deeply personally to the singer, Ethan, as its about something he is experiencing with a loved one, dementia. He tried to put himself in the shoes of someone who is battling with it to understand what they are going through. Rounding out the set with 'Scorched Earth' and 'Ann Arbor (Be Safe)', two crowd favorites, the singer took to the barrier and sang with the crowd before flipping to his back, allowing the crowd to support him as he finished off the set with a bang.
Bleed From Within
Bleed From Within, making their Baltimore Soundstage debut, coming from Glasgow Scotland, formed in 2005. Already widely known for their incredible sound and energy, these guys are a force to be a reckoned with in the metal scene. Also known for blending genres and pushing the boundaries of the music, these guys have no rules when it comes to writing. Having opened for bands like Lamb of God, All That Remains, Soilwork, and more, the Scottish metalheads have cemented their place in the metal world. Their 2018 record "Erra" really showcased their ability to bring hard hitting sounds matched with deep, powerful lyrics. Following that up with the album "Fracture" in 2020, which was widely loved for their open and honest thoughts on subjects a lot bands avoid. Then they released 2022's album 'Shrine' which brings back the meanifull lyrics and topics many fans can relate to. Taking the stage, they opened with the songs 'Sovereign' and 'Levitate.' A personal song to the band, 'Sovereign' is about the Scottish Independence movement, however, it can be easily translated to anyone who is fed up with corrupt and greedy politicians. Similar to Great American Ghost, Bleed From Within's song 'Levitate' is about the singer, Scott Kennedy's experience watching his grandmother battle dementia, something many of their fans can relate to. Leading into one of their most popular songs off of the album "Shrine", 'Killing Time' set the building a blaze.
The crowd went wild as they performed and crowd surfers began to pour over the edge, almost overwhelming the security team (who, may I add, absolutely rocked it despite devastating news prior to the show. I wont touch on that out of respect to those at Soundstage.)
The crowd surfers were a fitting touch as the song is about making the most of the time we have left on this world. Taking it back to 2018, they performed an "Erra" favorite, 'Afterlife'. Again with the meaningful lyrics paired with hard hitting and brutal instrumentals, the song touches upon alcoholism and the effects it has on you and the people around you. To round out their set they performed their most popular songs to date, 'I Am Damnation'(Shrine, 2022) and 'The End Of All We Know'(Fracture, 2020) along side Paleface Swiss's singer, Zelli. 'I Am Damnation' is their anthem of confidence, said by their drummer Ali Richardson to magazine LouderSound, and really showcases their direction as a band. As they performed the final song of the night, 'The End Of All We Know', the singer of Paleface Swiss, Zelli, came out to support BFW and provided amazing harsh vocals to the already epic song.
Paleface Swiss
Paleface Swiss, a heavy hitting deathcore band from Zurich, Switzerland, is known for blending deathcore, slamming beatdown, and rap together to put them in a league of their own. Formed in 2017, they are said to be Switzerland's finest heavy metal music, and I can understand where that notion comes from. Their first EP, "Chapter 1: From The Gallows" released in 2018, made a lasting impression that pushed them quickly into the public eye.
Following that up they released "Chapter 2: Which King" in 2019 which is what arguably put them on the map and more of a household metal name. Their 3rd and 4th albums, "Chapter 3: The Last Selection"(2020) and "Fear & Dagger"(2022) led the band to new heights in the scene, marking their first headline show in 2022. Now, in 2024, they played Sick New World in Vegas along side some of the biggest names in metal history like BRING ME THE HORIZON, System Of A Down, and more. Making their Baltimore Soundstage debut, these guys came out with 1 goal in mind, to blow the fans away with their aggressive riffs, harsh vocals, and of course like the other bands, meaningful lyrics to match.
Starting off with the single 'Please End Me' (2023), a song that hits home for many of us, showcases the pain and suffering we feel internally. The crowds energy when this song performed live was incredible and could tell its become one of their favorites. Following that was a song off their 2022 album, "Fear & Dagger" 'The Orphan', which again brings emotional lyrics paired with aggressive hard hitting beats as the singer discusses the weight of depression and the toll it has on you. Playing their newer single, 'Best Before: Death' a song that describes humans and our expiration date that we all cannot escape, the singer took to the barrier and sang with the crowd during this heartfelt but insanely powerful song. A personal favorite of mine, 'Nail To The Tooth', was next on the setlist, which the crowd chanted every word back to Zelli. A song about about being desperate to escape the troubles you have, at any cost, resonates with us all especially nowadays. For a "deathcore" band, their music can find a way into the hearts of fans and it was beautiful to witness. The last three songs, all off the album "Fear & Dagger" were explosive and powerful, brining the crowd together for Paleface Swiss's first ever wall of death at Soundstage and lasting mosh pits that swelled to take up the majority of the floor. Needless to say, the crowd absolutely loved Paleface's energy and the band fed off of it, creating a epic show for everyone.
The Ghost Inside
The Ghost Inside, formally known as A Dying Dream, is a staple in the metal community. Formed in 2004 in California, the band is fronted by Jonathan Vigil and boasts a huge fan base around the world. Known for technical skills and lyrical messages of hope and catharsis, these guys are the definition of the saying "never give up." Under the name A Dying Dream, they released their first EP "Now or Never" in 2006 and later made the switch to The Ghost Inside following a re-release of the EP with bonus tracks and footage. In 2010, with a new drummer, Andrew Tkaczyk from For the Fallen Dreams, they released "Returners", their 2nd album. In 2012, the band signed to Epitaph Records and Co-Headlined the Alternative Press Tour along with Miss May I. That same year they released their third album, "Get What You Give" produced by A Day To Remember's vocalist Jeremy McKinnon and later toured the world in support of the record.
At this point in time, The Ghost Inside has become widely popular in the metal scene and they continued to break ground with their progressive and heavy music with emotional inspired lyrics. 2014 brought a new album, "Dear Youth", and the change in band members when Aaron Brooks partied ways with the band. Chris Davis, of Texas In July, who was touring with the band later announced he would become a fulltime member. In November of 2015, tragedy struck the band in Arizona when their tour buss collided with a tractor trailer, resulting in the death of both drivers. The other 10 individuals involved were in critical condition, especially Jonathan Vigil, Zach Johnson, Andrew Tkaczyk, and two other who needed to be hospitalized. Their first update online would come in January of 2016 when Jonathan took to Instagram and addressed their injuries and thankfulness to be alive. Andrew Tkaczyk, also did the same, where fans learned he lost his leg and spent 10 days in a coma. At the time, their future as band was unknown, until the day they posted their return to the 2017 Warped Tour lineup, however due to circumstances they were not able to attend. In 2019, after confirming with fans a year before that there would be music from TGI, they posted a photo of them in the studio preparing their self titled album that would release in 2020. Questions soon started to arise if they would play a show soon, or if at all. Well, if they had any doubts whether or not they would tour, their first show back on July 13th, 2019 at Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall certainly erased them. The show SOLD OUT within 4 minutes of ticket release. After that, they announced one-off shows and continued to release singles off their self titled album. As COVID began to lessen around the world, the band took to the stage in 2021 and played their self titled album for the first time live and had multiple festival apparencies scheduled. In 2022 they toured with A Day To Remember, marking their return to the tour life and then continuing with Underoath. In 2024 they released the single 'Wash It Away' along with their 6th album 'Searching For Solace'. Back with the same members from that horrific day in 2015, the band hit the road again with Paleface Swiss, Bleed From Within, and Great American Ghost.
For most of these fans the future of TGI at one point wasn't looking good and the thought of not seeing them perform again was crushing. So when they announced they would be hitting the road tickets began to sell faster than expected, making Baltimore Soundstage the first sold out stop of the tour. Taking the stage, the crowd lost their minds in admiration and joy. You could feel the floor vibrate just from the crowds cheers as the band who fought tooth and nail to be here walked out and took their places on stage. Starting the set off with 'Engine 45' and 'The Great Unknown' off of their 2012 album "Get What You Give", the fans immediately broke into mosh pits and surfers as they hear the songs that may of gotten them into this kind of music to begin with. Continuing to play hits off of their older albums, like 'Unspoken', 'Dear Youth', and 'Phoenix Flame', they also mixed in a few of the newer songs off of their self titled album and "Searching For Solace". At this point, the band stopped playing and the singer Jonathan gave us a heartfelt message about the tragic accident in 2015 and how lucky they are to not only be alive but to be together still on stage. Giving props to Andrew and his ability to adapt to playing drums, in a metal band, after losing his leg in the accident. The love and emotions in the air at that moment overwhelmed me personally and I'm sure everyone else too. I even noticed some fans crying while holding up the classic metal horns to the band. They go on to continue to play newer songs off of their self titled and "Searching For Solace", such as 'Death Grip'. 'Death Grip' is a song about survival and defying your fate to create your own destiny. When push comes to shove, believe in yourself" said by Jonathan in a interview with Bladdermouth. With a powerful meaning, electrifying riffs and relentless drum patterns put together with an eerie industrial sound, 'Death Grip' captivated the fans with its emotionally resonant lyrics as frontman Jonathan Vigil confronts mortality and emerges a winner. Near the end of the show, they played 'Avalanche (2014)' and 'Aftermath(2020)', two of the most popular songs by TGI based on views and sales. Both songs talk about moving forward past obstacles, erasing the doubts, and affirmation of one's worth and self-determination. Ironically enough, although similar in terms of the message, 'Avalanche' was written before the accident, showing that although yes what happened to them was indeed tragic, it did not make them who they are. It only made them stronger and when performing on stage you can see that in each one of them.
Together, this lineup rocked Baltimore Soundstage from the moment Great American Ghost took the stage and it didn't calm down, not even between sets. Although these bands are heavy and sometimes perceived by the outside as evil or angry, they carry such powerful messages in their lyrics. From dealing with inner thoughts and demons to finding the strength to continue on despite everything and everyone around you telling you no, these bands know how to relate to their fans while putting on an incredible metal show.
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