Named for a cat that helped the artist get through hard times, Gashley’s Ghost finally released an EP commemorating those difficult times called Toxic Nostalgia Vol. I.
Based in Cleveland, Ohio, Gashley’s Ghost is the solo project of songwriter and musician Corey Azok. The project was formed when Corey went to rehab in late 2018 and began writing songs there about his experiences as a way to cope and let go. Those songs make up a trilogy of EPs called Toxic Nostalgia, which he began playing live right after getting back out into the world. The project continued as a live solo acoustic act until 2020 when the first studio EP’s recording process began.
The debut EP, Toxic Nostalgia Vol. I, was finally released on January 15th, 2021 and is available everywhere now.
The long-awaited Toxic Nostalgia Vol. I from Gashley’s Ghost was debuted with Corey singing and playing the songs on an acoustic guitar during a dual live stream on Instagram and Facebook before the studio release. The event got people hyped to listen to the EP, and the hype was real! Toxic Nostalgia Vol. I boasts five emotion-filled tracks that tell stories from Corey’s past.
Toxic Nostalgia Vol. I contains these tracks:
- Lucid Nightmares
- Eclipsed – with Alexa Rodriguez of Eyes Set to Kill, and Rex Larkman
- Rotting
- Down Below
- Pseudo-Suicide – with Glenn Holdaway, and Rex Larkman
The album is filled with acoustic tracks, rock tracks with brass, vocals from other musicians, thoughtful lyrics, but what truly stands out is the emotion in Corey’s voice. When you listen to Toxic Nostalgia Vol. I, you could truly feel what the singer went through because it’s in his voice.
The first track, “Lucid Nightmares,” is an acoustic track with a chill drumbeat and a soaring guitar lick. You could tell Corey has been through a lot because the closing line is, “Everything I’ve loved is dead.”
“Eclipsed” is an upbeat sounding track that features a duet between Corey and Alexia Rodriguez of Eyes Set to Kill. “Maybe I just made myself too easy to abuse,” are notable and thought-provoking lyrics in the song.
Easily the most downbeat song on the EP is “Rotting.” It features violins, an acoustic guitar, and Corey singing about something that has been pulling him down. “And so, we must bleed, let it all drain out,” sums the song up perfectly.
“Down Below” almost feels like a song sung by great lounge-lizards of the past, but with a punk rock twist. The gang vocals at the end were the chef’s kiss of the piece.
The lead single of the EP, “Pseudo-Suicide,” is a punk rock masterpiece. If we weren’t in quarantine, we could easily see people skank-dancing in a circle at a show due to the touch of ska added by the brass. The beat will have you bobbing your head, and the melody will have you humming soon after you hear it. The emotion in Corey’s voice portrays the message so well; you almost feel like you will be getting fake roses to know how much you mean to Corey. We know that isn’t the truth, because we know Corey does care about his fans! But, the emotion Corey sings with totally puts you in the story!
Connect with Gashley’s Ghost via their Instagram, Spotify, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Linktree.
Overall, this EP was an emotional rollercoaster to listen to, from intimate acoustic parts to straight punk rock, Toxic Nostalgia Vol. I has met every expectation and then some. If you have ever gone through hard times, if you love EPs that can go from acoustic songs to blasting punk rock drums, if you desire to hear an artist’s story, then Toxic Nostalgia Vol. I is for you. Add it to your playlist and feel the feels, you’ll be thanking us that you did!
