No one would have blamed The Ghost Inside for throwing in the towel. After a devastating bus crash that sidelined the metalcore outfit for four years, followed by their long-awaited comeback album being released in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s easy to see why fans of the El Segundo quintet might think the group has been dealt a tough hand. But despite these challenges, the metal must go on, and even the darkest days can’t extinguish the brightest of dreams. The Ghost Inside have persevered, unleashing their highly anticipated sixth studio album, Searching for Solace, a record dominated by bold creative swings and honest innovations.
Band members Jonathan Vigil, Zach Johnson, Andrew Tkaczyk, Chris Davis, and Jim Riley sat down with Metal Injection to discuss their journey, creative rebirth, and love of the road. Here’s a selection of highlights from their in-depth interview.
Finding the Silver Lining
Vigil reflected on the band’s experience: “We spent so much time after our accident and during the pandemic wanting to perform again. Every tour we’ve done since then has reinvigorated this feeling of ‘yes, I want to be here, I want to do this.’ The saying ‘you don’t know what you have until it’s gone’ is very true. When it was gone, I missed it so much. I don’t want to speak for everyone, but we’re stoked to be able to go back and do this again.”
Releasing Their Self-Titled Album in the Pandemic
Jim recalled the challenges of releasing their self-titled album during the pandemic: “We had to decide on April 1st, 2020, whether to move forward with the album release. We were led to believe that the pandemic would be under control by summer, so we took a chance and stuck with the June release date. Unfortunately, we bet wrong.”
“I think the worst part was knowing we’d spent years working on that project, and for it to be released during such a tumultuous time was disappointing. We never got to properly tour or enjoy the release because the world was dealing with so much else. It was tough.”
Chris added, “In a weird way, our accident kind of prepared us for living through the pandemic. We had to take a step back and figure out our identity outside of being in The Ghost Inside. What do I do to keep myself sane when I’m isolated? We were almost kind of ready for it, but it didn’t make it any less difficult.”
Vigil noted, “When we were away after our accident, we felt isolated, but during the pandemic, everyone was going through the same thing. Releasing the album and knowing what it meant to people – that it helped them get through the pandemic – was a beacon of hope.”
Collaborating with New Producers
Jim discussed the band’s experience working with producers Dan Braunstein, Cody Quistad, Carson Slovak, and Grant McFarland: “These guys gave us the freedom to explore all the different aspects of The Ghost Inside. It was awesome to have other people say, ‘I love your band, and I think this is your next step.’ We took that step with them, and it was really fun.”
Andrew added, “They unlocked things about our own band that we didn’t know existed. It took working with different people to discover those things… Vigil‘s performance on this record is his best ever. There were times when he was hitting notes in the studio, and we all looked at each other in amazement.”
Contrasting Melody and Heaviness
Andrew explained the band’s approach to contrasting melody and heaviness on the new album: “That was 100% intentional. We wanted to take every aspect of the band to the fullest and create contrast. We wanted the record to go up and down, back and forth, and that played into the theme of the record.”
Chris noted, “There was a ‘nothing is off the table’ vibe to this whole process. The producers would suggest something, and we’d try it, even if it felt scary. If it was good and the five of us liked it, that’s what we’d do. We didn’t worry about anything else; we just tried everything.”
The Emotions and Themes of the New Album
Vigil discussed the themes of the new album: “Life isn’t linear; it’s got hills and valleys. We wanted the record to flow like that, to be jarring, to hit you and then bring you back in. We wanted that feeling with the artwork, the maze of the mind, and the search for this end goal, but not realizing it’s about the journey, not the destination.”
“It’s about getting there, not about reaching the end, because once you reach the end, there’s always another end to strive for. The goalposts keep moving. We wanted the record to feel like that, to really feel like a journey.”
Growing Personally and Professionally
Jim reflected on the band’s growth: “Life is catching up with us. Three of us are married, Jonathan‘s stepdaughter is 16, and Chris has two kids. Our lives have changed so much in the last nine years. If you rewind to 2015, we were kids with no responsibilities; now we’re different. Part of this record is us doing nine years of progression all at once.”
The Ghost Inside‘s Searching For Solace is available now through Epitaph Records. Get it here.
