.png)
Of all the bands that emerged from the West Coast metalcore scene of the new millennium, very few have grown as much and evolved as smoothly as The Ghost Inside. The South Bay quintet have faced a fair share of obstacles and personal tragedies, and continue to emerge stronger each time, perseverence remaining at the heart of who they are to this very day. There were more than a few times that seemed like the band's expected and inevitable demise and yet The Ghost Inside have just released their hugely anticipated sixth studio record Searching for Solace that is bigger and bolder than ever, and sees the band move firmly forward in the right direction yet again, just this time on their own terms.
We have left those early DIY melodic hardcore and classic metalcore territories and approach the realm of huge metal anthems and arena headliners. It is a place well known to Epitaph Records, and The Ghost Inside are arguably one of the big three of the label. There is time for those teenage favourites to mature and transform into global powerhouses, and although there might be certain remarks about the exact way Parkway Drive have done it, Architects have pulled it off gracefully, and The Ghost Inside appear to be doing so on their own terms. A milestone record for the band, Searching for Solace is bound to divide the crowd but lets be honest, what doesn't these days, and if a horrific bus crash didn't stop The Ghost Inside, you can bet few petty critics wouldn't either.
The Ghost Inside started off pretty strong with Fury And The Fallen Ones (2008) before streamlining that hardcore rage in Returners (2010), but it was really the scene classics Get What You Give (2012) and Dear Youth (2014) that earned them a place amongst the heavyhitters. Solid, direct, uncompromising, always delivering like clockwork, at least before that tragic accident. And although their self-titled 2020 comeback was somewhat isolated and focused on their recovery and return, it is now up to Searching for Solace to carry on where they left off. Ten years have passed since those glorious metalcore days and naturally the band's musical output has progressed to reflect the trends and themes of the day, remaining as relevant and adequate as we have learned to expect from them.
I realise that even the thought of moving on or growing up can put some fans and critics in a state of catatonic shock, but rest assured, The Ghost Inside are not a band that would discard their roots and legacy with ease. Yes, the album is noticeably more organised, concise and polished, but that also means an even deeper, darker and stylistically heavier tracks that are right to the point without wasteful fillers, interludes or transitions. There are lighter melodies, anthemic choruses and bigger hooks, but they come as complementing and not replacing the groovy, punching and relentless foundation and attitude we all love in them. It is perfecrly balanced, as all things should be.
In a recent interview for Kerrang! the band was more than clear about exploring new areas during their writing process, "digging in deeper, going darker, being more honest, more authentic”, and the LP really covers the entire spectrum of themes and moods that are crucial for who The Ghost Inside are in 2024. There are the more positive, upbeat and easycore-ish tracks like 'Going Under', 'Light Years', 'Secret', 'Cityscapes' and 'Wash It Away', but there are also the angrier, groovier, near-psychotic ragers 'Death Grip', 'Split', 'Earn It', 'Wrath' and 'Reckoning'. You can chose lightness or darkness, a choise we all have to make, and a conflict so well documented by a band that has faced that duality more than once.
All in all, Searching for Solace is an album made by The Ghost Inside, for The Ghost Inside, one of those great late-career releases that have nothing to prove and noone to please. It won't suddenly make you love them if you haven't already been following them for the last twenty years, and really shouldn't upset you if you have been paying closer attention to who they are as musicians, but also as people. Fittingly framed with a subtle Westworld-inspired artwork, this is easily their most authentic and introspective album since their inception. And in case you didn't get this by now, it really is perfectly balanced, as all things should be.
The Ghost Inside - 'Searching For Solace'
Country: United States
Released: 19 April 2024
Label: Epitaph Records
Tracklisting:
1. 'Going Under'
2. 'Death Grip'
3. 'Light Years'
4. 'Secret'
5. 'Split'
6. 'Wash It Away'
7. 'Cityscapes'
8. 'Earn It'
9. 'Wrath'
10. 'Reckoning'
11. 'Breathless
Comments