“What’s new is old, and what’s old is new again.” A quote from 17th century author Johnathan Swift—while used and paraphrased abundantly, especially in today’s age of retro-fitting and nostalgia—could not fit better for Syracuse-based straight edge hardcore act GhostxShip. A stalwart of the late-2000s east coast hardcore scene, the band are back after a decade-long hiatus with some of their most aggressive and energetic music to date, combining a hard-swinging, heavy-hitting hardcore mentality with the overwhelming energy and die-hard mentality of an undying punk ethos, GhostxShip demonstrate with crushing power and pinpoint precision that what’s old is most certainly new again.
Formed in 2009, GhostxShip’s dominion over American hardcore began in earnest with the release of their debut LP, Cold Truth. In the years that would follow, GhostxShip would only grow, releasing a split EP with beatdown hardcore legends No Zodiac and releasing two additional EPs, Carry the Flame in 2013 and Cold Water Army in 2014. Not only would the band’s prolific writing and recording regimen earn them acclaim, but they made appearances alongside legendary hardcore act Merauder, and other household names in the heavy music world like Comeback Kid, Knocked Loose, Cruel Hand, Code Orange and more—while also playing 2013’s iMatter Fest and 2014’s New England Metal and Hardcore Festival. Shortly thereafter, the band announced a hiatus lasting nearly ten years until they erupted back into the limelight in 2023 playing shows and festivals alongside Hatebreed, Earth Crisis, Gideon and more. Now, in 2024, the band have unleashed their first new song in ten years with “Ties That Bind,” a modern-but-nostalgic hardcore anthem that captures the intensity and veracity of GhostxShip’s infamous live performances. An amalgam of pummeling speed and punishing aggression, “Ties That Bind” is proof that GhostxShip’s resurgence has only just begun, as 2024 is sure to give listeners more to see—and hear—from these east coast warriors.
