Importantly, that expanded stylistic breadth always feel like the product of Searching For Solace’s affirmative mindset rather than artists reaching to stay relevant. Moments in the album’s accessible midsection, like the clean choruses of Wash It Away, or Cityscapes’ ballad-ish grandstanding, would have rankled with fans if featured on their comeback. Here, though, they legitimately feel like the sounds of a band moving on.
Of course, Searching For Solace isn’t a record that’s aiming for heavy music’s cutting-edge. Subtly game-changing as it may be for its authors, there’s nothing here that’ll put off long-term listeners. Hell, the reversion to gravelly machismo on later tracks Wrath and Reckoning feels almost like fan-service. From this band, that’s absolutely fine. A few short years ago, it seemed the story might have been cut short, so there’s pleasure in just seeing them be TGI.
‘These days are numbered,’ sweeping closer Breathless spells it out. ‘So keep on screaming until our hearts break.’ After all these years, it’s still worth hanging on every word.
Verdict: 4/5
For fans of: Stick To Your Guns, Parkway Drive, A Day To Remember
Searching For Solace is released on April 19 via Epitaph. The Ghost Inside play Slam Dunk Festival May 25 and 26.