Hutchinson, Kansas trio Deflecting Ghosts emerge with their new single “Broken”, a searing alt-metal confessional that charts the brutal transition from self-destruction to surrender. Marking their first release as a full band (with wife Rhema on bass and Austin on drums), the track transforms frontman Luke Fitzgerald’s decades of personal battles with addiction into a sonic exorcism—where gnarled riffs and haunted vocals collide with startling vulnerability.
From its opening chords, “Broken” feels like watching a car crash in slow motion—Fitzgerald’s lyrics dissect self-sabotage with unflinching clarity, his voice swinging between guttural rage and exhausted revelation. The rhythm section anchors the chaos: Rhema’s basslines pulse like a nervous system, while Austin’s drums mimic a heartbeat in freefall. It’s Alice in Chains meets early Staind—90s alt-metal grit reforged into something freshly devastating.
What elevates “Broken” beyond nostalgia is its hard-won hope. As the band prepares for their Sunflower Festival debut, the track stands as a manifesto: music as lifeline, not vanity. For anyone who’s ever fought their own reflection, Deflecting Ghosts offer not salvation, but solidarity—loud enough to drown out the shame.
Deflecting Ghosts’ ‘Broken’ is a raw and powerful anthem that fearlessly confronts the struggles of addiction and self-destruction. The trio’s dynamic sound marries 90s alt-metal grit with profound vulnerability, offering listeners not just a glimpse into their pain, but also a testament to the hard-won hope that lies beyond it.”
