Great American Ghost // Tragedy of The Commons

Published by PecksMetalPicks on February 22, 2025February 22, 2025

Great American Ghost is kicking 2025 off with a bang. This was definitely my favorite album from January.

I love how these guys have developed over the last few years. I found them in 2017, but they had a subtle Stray From The Path sound lurking under the surface that I didn’t care for. Their tone shifted a bit on their 2020 album, and they completely captured me with their 2022 EP. Since then, I’ve eagerly awaited a full length album and ‘Tragedy of The Commons’ delivered.

Not many bands sound like this. The yelling vocals are similar to Half Me, which makes it easy to follow and absorb the album’s message. There’s also a lot of vocal variety to compliment the heavier and softer moments. 

I suppose Great American Ghost is metallic hardcore mixed with metalcore, but they occupy the same space in my mind as Fit For An Autopsy. The similar industrial elements and lyrical topics also make it an apt comparison.

That being said, I rank this album far above most of what FFAA has done since 2017. There’s less filler and they absolutely nail the melodic moments. Great American Ghost’s softer moments feel organic while FFAA’s feel forced as they attempt to “expand” their sound and appeal to a wider audience. “Echoes of War” is a perfect example of Great American Ghost emulating the same singing style from Cattle Decapitation but doing it better than FFAA did.  “Ghost In Flesh” and “Writhe” showcase their other singing styles too.

“Kerosene” is a highlight, but the non-singles are also incredible. In this day and age, where bands often release five singles before dropping an album, having the non-singles hold their own was a huge surprise. “Chapel Paralysis” might be my favorite song, and “Reality//Relapse” is close behind.

The only song I didn’t care for was “Genocide.” The heavy industrial influences were kind of boring compared to everything else the album had to offer.

This is a huge win for Great American Ghost. Dipping into multiple heavy genres without being defined by one in particular is such a strength, especially while incorporating so many melodic aspects. This is the kind of band that could fit into any tour lineup, play a show, and walk away with new fans.