Kansas-based alternative metal trio transforms personal anguish into sonic catharsis with their most vulnerable release yet
In the heartland of America, where endless wheat fields stretch toward infinite horizons, something darker and more profound is stirring. Deflecting Ghosts, the alternative metal force emerging from Hutchinson, Kansas, has just delivered their most emotionally devastating single to date with “Death is Calling” — a track that doesn’t just explore the depths of human suffering, but transforms it into something transcendent.
What began as Luke Fitzgerald’s solitary creative sanctuary during the twilight of his previous musical endeavor has evolved into something far more powerful. The addition of longtime collaborator Rhema on bass and intuitive drummer Austin in early 2025 has transformed Deflecting Ghosts from a personal refuge into a formidable trio capable of channeling collective pain into crushing musical statements.
“Death is Calling” stands as testament to the band’s unflinching commitment to emotional authenticity. This isn’t music designed to comfort or console — it’s an unflinching examination of love, loss, and the sacrifices we make when confronted with unbearable anguish. The track operates as both confession and catharsis, with lyrics that read like pages torn from a diary written during humanity’s darkest hours.
The sonic landscape Deflecting Ghosts creates is deliberately overwhelming. Dense, crushing guitars provide the foundation for Luke’s vocals, which oscillate between fragile vulnerability and explosive fury with breathtaking precision. His voice carries the weight of hard-won experience — decades of musical exploration spanning classical guitar foundations to self-taught mastery of piano, bass, drums, and vocals. But it’s the emotional intelligence behind his delivery that truly sets “Death is Calling” apart. He understands instinctively when to break, when to soar, and when to let raw pain speak for itself.
Rhema’s bass work provides more than rhythmic foundation — her lines reflect a shared history of resilience and redemption, creating harmonic conversations that speak to the band’s deep personal connections. Austin’s drumming serves as the dynamic backbone, providing both precision and intuitive feel that allows the song’s emotional peaks and valleys to breathe naturally.
The production philosophy behind “Death is Calling” deserves particular recognition. Rather than polishing away the rough edges of grief, Deflecting Ghosts deliberately preserves the organic, unvarnished quality that makes their music feel genuinely lived-in. Every guitar tone vibrates with purposeful weight, every vocal crack serves the emotional narrative, and the rhythm section builds a foundation solid enough to support the song’s dramatic architecture.
This approach represents a conscious rejection of the sanitized, over-produced alternative metal that has dominated recent years. Deflecting Ghosts channels the spirit of an era when rock music was permitted to be raw, honest, and unafraid to confront uncomfortable truths. Their sound fuses grit with melody in ways that hit immediately but reveal deeper complexities with repeated listening.
“Death is Calling” arrives as the band’s most fully realized statement, building upon the emotional groundwork established by earlier releases “Lost My Mind” and “Passion of the Scorned”. While their recent single “Broken” marked their first full-band release, “Death is Calling” represents a quantum leap in both sonic sophistication and emotional depth.
The track’s lyrics construct a narrative that feels simultaneously deeply personal and universally resonant. Rather than offering false hope or easy answers, Deflecting Ghosts creates space for listeners to recognize their own pain reflected in the music. It’s a rare gift in contemporary rock — the ability to transform individual suffering into collective healing without diminishing the weight of either experience.
As Deflecting Ghosts prepares for their live debut at the Sunflower Festival, “Death is Calling” serves as both introduction and mission statement. This is music created not for commercial success or critical acclaim, but for survival — both for the band members themselves and for anyone who has ever struggled with loss, grief, or the simple challenge of continuing to exist when existence feels unbearable.
In an era where authenticity has become a marketing buzzword, Deflecting Ghosts offers something increasingly rare: music that genuinely means something. “Death is Calling” doesn’t just sound heavy — it carries actual weight, the kind that comes from lived experience rather than manufactured drama.
The alternative metal scene has been waiting for artists willing to embrace vulnerability without sacrificing power, and Deflecting Ghosts delivers exactly that combination. “Death is Calling” proves that the most crushing music often emerges from the most honest places, and that sometimes the most powerful response to darkness is to transform it into sound.
For Luke Fitzgerald, Rhema, and Austin, music represents more than creative expression — it’s a lifeline, a method of communication when words fail, and a bridge between individual pain and collective understanding. “Death is Calling” succeeds because it never pretends suffering is noble or necessary, but it does insist that such suffering deserves to be heard, acknowledged, and transformed into something meaningful.
This is music for anyone who has ever felt the weight of loss, the guilt of survival, or the desperate need to hold onto whatever remains when everything else falls away. Deflecting Ghosts has created something that shakes listeners to their core precisely because it speaks to experiences most of us carry but rarely voice.
“Death is Calling” is available now across all major streaming platforms, offering listeners an opportunity to experience alternative metal at its most emotionally honest and sonically devastating. For Deflecting Ghosts, the message remains clear: it’s okay to feel pain, and it’s even more important to find ways to express it. In a world that often feels hollow, they remain fiercely committed to making music that means something. The call has been answered. The question now is whether listeners are ready to hear what Deflecting Ghosts has to say.
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