Few songs come with the type of sincerity that drives you to pause, listen, and feel every note in a chaotic situation. Introducing Deflecting Ghost, a hard rock/metal project inspired by the survival story of Luke, an artist who faced death head-on and returned with his wounds as artistic tools. With bone-crushing riffs and lightning-fast vocals, his song “Unknowing” is more than simply another entry in the pantheon of alternative metal; it’s a cleansing of betrayal, addiction, and broken familial bonds.
The song doesn’t ease in gently; it opens with an addictive riff that feels like a hook to the chest, dragging you straight into its storm. The guitars snarl with distortion, weaving a haunting melody over pounding drums that refuse to let up. It’s the kind of opening that demands your attention, setting the stage for what unfolds as a relentless sonic purge.
Luke’s vocals here are visceral, unpolished, and painfully human. He bleeds the words out. When he roars lines like “I’m walking away from everything you said to me” and “I’m running away,” it’s survival turned into sound and not just a performance. His delivery sits at the perfect crossroads of vulnerability and aggression, carrying the weight of lived experience in every note. I felt the betrayal, exhaustion, and the fierce determination to cut loose from destructive cycles.
Lyrically speaking, “Unknowing” is a testament to survival against impossible odds, a snapshot of a man who literally wrote part of it during the darkest days of his addiction and then finished it after waking from a coma. The track’s theme of betrayal and rebirth becomes all the more gripping when you know the life-and-death battle behind it.
The chaos and relief of the song’s theme are reflected in the production. The guitars are layered with grit and clarity, balancing crushing heaviness with haunting melodic runs. The song moves forward like a runaway train thanks to the rhythm section’s immense low-end strength, which is taut, merciless, and unrelenting. The mix leans into the raw edges, resisting over-polish, which proves the authenticity of Luke’s story.
With “Unknowing,” Deflecting Ghost plants its flag firmly in the ground: this is music that doesn’t just entertain—it devastates, heals, and empowers. If you crave rock music with jagged edges and emotional depth, this is a haunting first encounter with an artist who is not here to follow trends, but to bare his soul and drag you into the fire with him.
Listen to “Unknowing” on Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/track/3ea6yCUdT8lTq5d3tLc5nz?si=55c9ffe64fd04ff6
Follow Deflecting Ghost here for more information
