“Nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you get hit and keep moving forward.” Perhaps no band represents the spirit of that famous line from Rocky Balboa better than The Ghost Inside, the metalcore force whose songs of resilience, perseverance, and vulnerability are born from genuine life experiences.
Captivating bangers like “Engine 45,” “Avalanche,” “Aftermath,” “Wash It Away,” and “Pressure Point” are anthems for outcasts. Since its formation in El Segundo, California, The Ghost Inside has inspired international audiences with passion and determination. Tremendous obstacles never dampened their energy. The Ghost Inside is stronger than ever.
The lesson isn’t only about strength through adversity. In recent years, vocalist Jonathan Vigil, guitarists Zach Johnson and Chris Davis, bassist Jim Riley, and drummer Andrew Tkaczyk learned an esoteric truth about tranquility. As the axiom says, it’s the journey, not the destination, a theme throughout the band’s dynamic sixth album, Searching for Solace.
The Ghost Inside merges the New Wave of American Metalcore’s proficiency with punk’s urgency, building a bridge between more aggressive sounds and thoughtful messaging. Melody is another constant, explored to dizzying new heights in Searching for Solace.
Fury and the Fallen Ones (2008) and Returners (2010) preceded The Ghost Inside’s breakthrough album on Epitaph, Get What You Give (2012). Goodwill, momentum, and engaging live performances continued behind the conceptually driven Dear Youth (2014).
In 2015, while driving outside El Paso, Texas, the band’s tour bus collided with a tractor-trailer. Kerrang! called The Ghost Inside’s return to the stage nearly four years later “Rock’s Most Miraculous Comeback.” Their historic gig in Los Angeles chronicled in Rise from the Ashes: Live at the Shrine, sold out so quickly that it had to be moved to the parking lot.
“The Ghost Inside’s devastating bus accident may have broken their bodies, but it didn’t break their spirit,” Revolver Magazine wrote upon the release of the band’s self-titled comeback.
With heavy, dynamic, and melodic songs like “Going Under,” “Death Grip,” “Wrath,” and “Earn It,” Searching for Solace is a near-complete picture of their past, present, and future.
Remembering how adversity nearly washed the band away more than once over the years is an integral part of that journey. “There was a time when all five of us thought this band was over,” Vigil says. “Having a new lease on life means we’re never going to squander it.”
