Album review: Ghost Atlas – Dust Of The Human Shape

Dust Of The Human Shape is a fascinating listen. It’s been seven years since Ghost Atlas – the side project of Jesse Cash, best known as lead guitarist for metalcore favourites ERRA – released an album, and the ideas, complexity and thoughtfulness on display from Jesse on this second LP certainly sound like something that would take an awful long time to master. There’s loads going on here – from ’90s alt.rock vibes to contemporary emo melodies – but it all hangs together in a manner that’s seriously affecting.

Excellent opener Void Voyeur is demonstrative of Jesse’s approach, as he blends twinkly guitar melodies with more abrasive fare and some huge vocals that come drenched in emotion. Panoramic Daydream sounds similarly accomplished yet impactful, while Riding The Blindside and In The House Of Leaves lean more on an emo-adjacent sound, but are just as effortless in their delivery.

The songwriting throughout is brilliant, especially when Jesse mixes the formula up, like on Gaps In The Armoire, where acoustic guitars and slick solos combine to augment the storytelling. Elsewhere, the piano on recent single Seeker (Stretch The Night) works to the same end. There’s so much going on here, but it all sounds so well thought out, and never does it feel like the ideas overstay their welcome or are pushed too far.

Metalcore may be his day job, but the 12 tracks offered here prove that when he dons the Ghost Atlas moniker, Jesse Cash can leave most alt.rock songwriters in the dust.

Verdict: 4/5

For fans of: I The Mighty, Too Close To Touch, Underoath

Dust Of The Human Shape is released January 26 via UNFD.