Hailing from Portland (by way of Alaska), the emo/post-hardcore outfit Anatomy of a Ghost formed in the second half of 2002 and quickly amassed an underground fan base though their heavy Internet presence and energetic live show. Within months, the band's members -- vocalist John Gourley, drummer Nick Simon, bassist Zach Carothers, and guitarists Joe Simon and Dewey Halpaus -- had signed to the local indie label Rise Records. They toured nationwide during the summer of 2003 with Saosin and Boys Night Out, and later released their debut effort, Evanesce, in October (licensed to Fearless Records). The album garnered the group comparisons to acts like Thrice, Thursday, and Coheed & Cambria, the last band mostly due to Gourley's higher-pitched vocals. Anatomy of a Ghost broke up in May 2004, as the bandmembers wanted to explore other musical avenues; Gourley and Carothers soon resurfaced in Portugal. The Man. By early 2005, Anatomy had re-formed with plans for a new album, but by midsummer, Gourley and Carothers had turned their attention back to Portugal instead, releasing that group's first album in early 2006. Halpaus also released a record with his new metal-leaning project, the Burning Room, in June 2006 through Mediaskare. ~ Corey Apar