EPK – Marble Ghosts – Self-Titled (2024)

EPK – Marble Ghosts – Self-Titled (2024)

Publicist – Jon Asher jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com

“A death metal drummer, an old-school metal bassist, a singer heavily influenced by 90s grunge, and a metalcore guitar player, Marble Ghosts blends genres and generations. Unapologetic in their lyrical approach, the band pushes boundaries by excoriating traditional power structures, affirming the importance of speaking truth to power. These are our first 5 songs and we believe they are very strong and represent our style perfectly as well as the direction we want to go in as a band.” – Marble Ghosts 

Facebook.com/marbleghosts | Instagram.com/marbleghostsofficial

Digital Single – Alone – https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/marbleghosts/alone

EP Title: Marble Ghosts
Release Date: TBD March 2024
Label: Self-Release
Distribution: Distrokid    

Track Listing:
1. Old School (3:10)
2. Lie to Me (4:22)
3. Alone (4:03)
4. False Heroes (4:33)
5. End of the World (3:58)
EP Length: 20:07

EP Recording Credits:
• All songs performed by: Marble Ghosts
• All songs written by: Marble Ghosts
• Produced by: Adam Hansen
• Mixed by: Scott Walsh of Sound Creation Studio
• Mastered by: Scott Walsh of Sound Creation Studio
• Engineer: Cameron Dunn of Hillside Studios
• EP Artwork by:
• Marble Ghosts font: Crossfade Productions
• Statue art: Edith Fluet of Blue Blood Tattoo
• Canadian Content (MAPL)

EP and Live Band Lineup:
Dylan Gunnell – Lead Vocal and Lyrics
Adam Hansen – Guitar
Paul R. Champagne – Bass
J̩r̫me Renaud РDrums

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About The EP Artwork:

This is a broken statue of Canada’s first Prime Minister John A. MacDonald and also the architect of the residential school’s system that was meant to solve the so-called “native problem”. Instead, it resulted in multiple generations of trauma for Indigenous people in Canada, the effects of which are still felt today. Called a cultural genocide by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, it is the most shameful chapter in Canada’s history.

Statues like these are ‘marble ghosts’, still revered by some as pioneers and trailblazers who forged their nations, but who also committed terrible crimes. Like the band’s song, ‘False Heroes’, the band asks simply, “Why do we hold them up so high? Why do we cover up the crimes?” These marble ghosts are being pulled down physically but also in the changing mentalities toward flawed historical persons. The marble ghosts are also the traditions of old including religious beliefs that have not changed with the times to accept differing views. Again, the band seeks to call out these anachronistic outmoded views that cause real harm.

Track by Track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY)

1. Old School – A thrash punk medley with a biting, unforgettable chorus that acts as an anthem for the disaffected who are tired of being ruled by a vocal religious minority. Old School is not anti-religious and does not seek to call out all who believe in a higher power. The target of the song is simply those who believe in a higher power that foments hate towards LGBTQ communities and believes in stripping away a woman’s right to choose what she can do with her body. With the words, “God is love and God is hate,” speaks to the way that fundamentalists twist and pervert teachings to fill an agenda of hate. This song is the fuck you to them. Fuck any god whose believers can’t accept love in different shapes and forms and who believes they can tell a person what they can do with their body.

2. Lie to Me – This was “Cheese 2”, another riff from the same session that included ‘Alone’. ‘Alone and ‘Lie to Me’ were sent to Dylan as ‘Cheese 1’ and ‘Cheese 2’ and were used in Dylan’s demo reel for Adam to showcase what he could do with the tracks.

‘Lie to Me’ features an intricate fingerstyle bass intro that builds into a catchy, heavy intro. Despite the scream vocals in the chorus, other than ‘Alone, it is the band’s most radio-friendly track, particularly because of the contrasting harmonies in between the harsh vocals.

Lyrically, ‘Lie to me’ is a song about betrayal and about building something that was never going to succeed. It is supposed to be cathartic as the final act of betrayal frees the person.

3. Alone – Originally titled, “Cheese 1” because it was part of a guitar mess-around session that included several dad-rock riffs that were rejected, this was one of the first songs that Adam sent Dylan. It was written 7 years ago and was sitting idle on a dying laptop. Adam resurrected the riff, adding pre-programmed drums and bass, providing the perfect canvas for Dylan to provide a vocal sample. From the first listen, Dylan knew he wanted to work with Adam. This was one of the first tracks the two worked on that would eventually become the project known as Marble Ghosts.

Lyrically, Alone represents both imagined and real fear. It was originally titled ‘No one can hear you scream’, and the idea behind it is how our own minds can create scenarios to frighten us, but our minds can also save us at the same time when real danger is present.  

4. False Heroes – A sludgy verse mixed with a towering harmony-laced chorus and a powerful, thundering instrumental end, False Heroes, lyrically is aimed at the institutions of old and those who continue to prop them up. Originally called Marble Ghosts, the name was changed when the band realized that it was the perfect name for the band itself.

In the current culture, where some believe we should return to a golden past, False Heroes counters that with a resounding NO. The song seeks to eviscerate male privilege, divisive hateful religious figures, but most of all, the ghosts of the past, still seen as trailblazers and nation builders. Inspired by the dismantling of controversial statutes worldwide, but specifically, the downing of the statue of John A. MacDonald, Canada’s first PM and the architect of the residential school system, False Heroes is a warning against romanticizing and celebrating figures whose mindsets were at their core harmful and led in many cases to abusive and criminal acts.

5. End of the World  – The most unique track on the EP, ‘End of the World’ takes the ‘quiet’ ‘loud’ verse-chorus formula of 90s grunge and turns it on its head. The quiet verse with its detached vocals transitions into deafening double bass and heavy toms over desperate angry screams.

‘End of the World’ is cynical and angry and reflects the mentality of a millennial generation that grew up being told that their actions would make a difference in the world, and they didn’t. Late-stage capitalism dividing the rich and the poor, rampant homelessness and environmental devastation, ‘End of the World’ is the anthem for those disillusioned by the fact that greed persists despite these devastating problems and is even celebrated by the likes of Elon Musk, a man who can lose 41 billion and still be the richest man in the world.

We live in a world where billionaires invest in space tourism and multi-million dollar vanity projects when millions can’t afford housing and when the world in some cases is literally burning, and the people who can help lack the affluence and ability to do so.

Inspired by the epidemic of wildfires in Canada and specifically the devastating fires in Fort McMurray, ‘End of the World’ is a biting, cynical, and powerful takedown of the greed that is destroying our world.

L-R РPaul R. Champagne (Bass), Adam Hansen (Guitar, Backing Vocals), Dylan Gunnell (Vocals), J̩r̫me Renaud (Drums)

Photo Credit – Lisa Thompson (Dark Moon Productions)

Marble Ghosts is a fresh new band out of Ottawa, Canada, composed of a death metal drummer, an old-school metal bassist, a singer heavily influenced by 90s grunge, and a metalcore guitar player. They blend genres and generations through their music highlighted with an unapologetic lyrical approach, as they push boundaries by excoriating traditional power structures, affirming the importance of speaking truth to power. Armed with conviction, they have their first single “Alone” ready to grab listeners by the throat. This single comes off their self-titled debut which will be released next year. It has special meaning to the band as they explain:

“‘Alone’ was written seven years ago and was sitting idle on a dying laptop. Adam (guitarist) resurrected the riff, adding pre-programmed drums and bass, providing the perfect canvas for Dylan (vocalist) to provide a vocal sample. From the first listen, Dylan knew he wanted to work with Adam. This was one of the first tracks the two worked on that would eventually become the project known as Marble Ghosts. Lyrically, ‘Alone’ represents both imagined and real fear. It was originally titled ‘No one can hear you scream’, and the idea behind it is how our own minds can create scenarios to frighten us, but our minds can also save us at the same time when real danger is present.”

The band’s name is a reference to historical statues, some of which stand long past their time. Like the band’s song, ‘False Heroes’, the band asks simply, “Why do we hold them up so high? Why do we cover up the crimes?” These marble ghosts are being pulled down physically but also in the changing mentalities toward flawed historical persons. The marble ghosts are also the traditions of old including religious beliefs that have not changed with the times to accept differing views. Again, the band seeks to call out these anachronistic outmoded views that cause real harm.

The single “Alone” is out now and the self-titled debut is expected in March 2024. Marble Ghosts are recommended for fans of Alter Bridge, Shinedown, and Saint Asonia.