Inshalla

Inshalla is an Arabic word meaning ‘God Willing.’ The band chose the name after hearing stories about the war in Iraq from Kelly Wright, (co-host on Fox & Friends, as well as capital correspondent for The Fox News Network) the father of Morgan and Mychael. The band settled into the quartet it is now in the spring of 2004. All members of the band reside in Hagerstown, MD, where they practice, record, and perform frequently.

A year after their formation, they began work on their first CD, entitled “…the distorted view of man…” Things have been good for the band considering their one-year establishment. They’ve managed to play in numerous large clubs including, The Velvet Lounge (Washington, D.C.), and The State Theater (Falls Church, V.A.). In January through March of 2005, they competed in the largest international music competition, Emergenza, in Washington, D.C. They made it all the way to the 2nd round, which was quite impressive for a band whose fan base was not allowed in the venues due to age restrictions. Impressing everyone involved in the competition, the band has received numerous invitations to play again this year. They have opened for local recording artist’s Aletheian and My Winter Nerve. They maintain a positive working relationship and friendship with each band. Their song ‘The Decade Of Your Demise’ has been featured on Shippensburg Universities WSYC 88.7 FM, local music showcase. They have also played in the Shippensburg University Cumberland Multi-Purpose Room.

“As a whole, we are very satisfied with the direction of the music,” says guitar player Derek Kretzer. “Its not very often where you can play in a band and realize how much of a good thing you have going. With this band, every time we play, we understand why we are together and what type of message we need to deliver to the public as a whole.” Singer Mychael Wright adds, “ We don’t want to preach to people. We only want them to listen to our music and realize that there is something different about it. Someone out there is bound to pick up on our faith eventually, and that’s what we are going for. We want people to understand that there is a bigger picture out there, that we all are a part of. It’s about time that we face up to the fact that we need to believe in each other and our father in heaven.”

The face of rock music today has changed drastically since that of the early doo-wop days. Inshalla is part of that change and hopes to take it further. However, in comparison to other bands of today, they prefer to call themselves ‘The step-child of Thrice and The Mars Volta.’ With driving guitar chords overlapped with harmonious/melodic vocals, or aggressive screaming with “Norma Jean style breakdowns,” the band does not shy away from any type of music. Their live show’s are filled with energy and ambient sound effects and extended songs. As they make their way to what hopes to be the forefront of music, they impact their crowd with chants, aggression, and a message. “We will settle for nothing but the best from each other,” concludes singer Morgan Wright. “We hope that one day people will look back on us and compare us to the great artist’s we hold so highly in our own hearts.”