Ghost Hound – Justified
Independent
11 Tracks – 45 minutes
The Ghost Hounds were originally founded in Los Angeles but now has relocated to Pittsburgh. The band is led by vocalist SAVNT (Stephen Marcellus Sertima) who was a season 13 contestant on The Voice. The other band members are Tyler Chiarelli and Thomas Tull on guitar, Joe Munroe on piano and keyboards, Kristin Weber on fiddle, Bennett Miller on bass, and Sydney Driver on drums. Their self-titled debut album was released in 2009. They then jumped to 2019 before releasing their follow-up, Roses Are Black. Four more studio album followed, the most recent being Almost Home in 2025, with one live album in 2021. Their music has been featured in the current Lioness TV series from Taylor Sheridan on Paramount.
The band describes itself on their web site as “a country rock band with a heavy blues influence that proved the genre is not only alive but thriving for the next generation of rock fans.” The band has performed in support of many famous bands including The Rolling Stones, ZZ Top, Garth Brooks, Guns ‘n’ Roses and Bob Seger.
The album kicks off with a powerful opening instrumental on “Something Wicked” and SAVNT delivering a descriptive, and perhaps alarming picture, ” Low winds started howling a few hours ago, the old dogs restless, storm clouds hanging low, shadows across the mountain like I ain’t never seen, the air tastes like copper, smells like kerosene.” My Pappy told me “Something wicked is headed this way, coming on like a freight train sealing all our fate. The land is turning black.” “Warning of the end of days”. Next a “Sinner’s Prayer” is offered, “Done plenty I am not proud of and Lord you know it’s true, spent my nights carousing, turned my back on you.” “So, my father was a good man, and I broke my mama’s heart and it will never mend. I kept an angel waiting, but she finally let me through. Just trying to find a way to get back home. So, here’s my lonely prayer, from a man who is in despair. I don’t deserve your mercy, but I am asking anyway.” Kristin’s fiddle plays strongly aside of the guitars throughout the song.
They then present an excellent cover of The Rolling Stone’s “Gimme Shelter”. Chanel Haynes, currently performing as a backing vocalist with The Rolling Stones, joins SVANT in a duet on the song. The title song follows with Kristin’s fiddle providing a looming sound leading into an acoustic guitar before SAVNT announces, “This is my side of the story. Most of it is true.” “I can’t take back what you took from me. I am justified and done”. ” I will face my reckoning when the day has come”.
On the “War Inside” he says, “I am laying here wanting, trying to get some peace. Can’t stop my self’s despair, can’t get no relief. Standing at the old crossroads I can’t get free.” “There is a war inside in a battle with my shadow with no end in sight.” He then cites “There’s a “Pale Horse”, pale horse riding.” “I can see the angel of death appear.” All an obvious Biblical reference to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse with the last of the four horsemen on our threshold. They provide another excellent cover on Freddy King’s 1971 song, “Going Down” delivered with blazing guitars in a powerful rock kick and Joe’s organ also a standout.
“Chasing Yesterday” is sung in a slight falsetto amid a quiet, slightly countrified acoustic reminiscence as he says, “Don’t go chasing yesterday as it is never coming back.” “The World keeps on turning and it’s turning awful fast”. He sings, “Here No More”, “gone too soon”. “I know they say you’re in a better place. I am not sure if that’s the case.” ” We make plans like people do. but gone too soon. Nothing lasts” with Kristin’s fiddle getting a workout. “After You” gets things rocking again. “Think I am crying, think I am blue. But there ain’t no crying after you.” Don’t ask how I am, but I sure ain’t alone. “I have my whiskey, baby, and all the time to drink it.”. They conclude with a soulful cover of the traditional “Amazing Grace”.
The band elevates the blues rock genre with a top-notch vocalist and instrumentation that brings forward the classic sound of that music with a modern bent to shove it forward again with lyrics that apply to current situations mixed with more standard, but well-presented love-lost songs. A great effort that leads me to want to hear more from their earlier releases.
