The Word Alive - Life Cycles Review

The Arizona metalcore band, The Word Alive, delivering an epic fist punching sophomore album, Life Cycles.  Before heading into the studio they lost both their keyboardist and drummer.  If you thought that was going to slow them down, think the opposite, they turned up the heat bringing everything they've got.  Matt Horn did the drums for the album since Luke Holland joined the band after the studio sessions were completed.  Working with big time producer Joey Sturgis, I was little worried at first that he was going to put in too much of his electronics/synths.  Thankfully I was wrong as he put the right amount in every song, not once overdoing it.  Very pleased to see bassist Daniel Shapiro have more of an impact on the album noticing the bass a lot more this time around. Dynamic Duo guitarists Zack Hansen and Tony Pizzuti do some straight shredding on this album that's quite impressive.  The once underrated Telle Smith finally getting the respect and attention he deserves taking his already impressive vocals to the next level, both screams and cleans.

I'm going to be honest I got the chills listening to the opening track, "Dragon Spell," when Telle screams "I'm still the king of the world!"  The heavy verses and deep screams go right into a huge drum blasting chorus that makes you want to sing along.  I also liked how Telle takes the line from "Like Father, Like Son" on Deciever and plugs it right into the 2nd verse "This is a family/Don't fuck with family!"  The first single, the love song "Entirety," when I first heard it, I knew this album was going to be everything I wanted it to be and I loved the bass in the song, just perfect.  "For Your Health" has to be the smoothest song on the album with catchy verses as Telle plays the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.  "Bar Fight" is one of my favorites on this album a heavy pre-chorus that jumps into a piano-led chorus that makes you wanna dance or let alone start a fight in a bar. I can only imagine what the mosh pits are going to be like to that song live.  The title track is the anthem of the album starting out with "I'd rather die for what I believe/Then live a life without meaning," and then the song just takes off with remarkable instrumentals.  My favorite part of the song is the bridge, the banging on the toms that leads up to a moment of silence, then boom! Telle screams so deep "So far away!"  "Evolution" is the heaviest and most hateful song but I can't help to love the lyrics since we all wanna scream the lyrics to that one person we hate.  "Hidden Lakes," a song about Telle's grandfather is one of my all-time favorites.  The guitar work by Zack Hansen and Tony Pizzuti is perfect followed by the huge chorus with the background synth, the unexpecting transmission voice in the bridge, I wouldn't change a thing about the song.  "Belong," has my favorite lyrics, since there's a point in time where we all just want to belong and find our place in this world.  The best part about the song is the breakdown in the bridge, easily the best by these guys in my opinion.  Don't forget about the bonus tracks, the Egyptian "Smoke Monster" and "The Conscience."  When it comes to quality, you can't go wrong with those. 

The Word Alive have put out an incredible record, possible AOTY contention, one of my favorites all-time.  This is still just the beginning for these guys which is the best part.  Can YouTube phenom Luke Holland set the table for the drums on the next record?  That to me will be the biggest question, not saying he can't since he is really talented.  For now though, I'm just going to blast this record over and over again for as long as I can.

I give this album a 9.7/10

 

Listen to - Dragon Spell

                 Bar Fight

                 Belong

All Time Low Release "For Baltimore"

All Time Low have released a new song, "For Baltimore," coming off their new album, Don't Panic, coming out October 9th!

The Amity Affliction Release New Song, "RIP Bon"

 

 

The Amity Affliction have released a new song, "RIP Bon," coming off their new album, Chasing Ghosts, out September 18th!

 

 



Go Radio Release "Go to Hell" Music Video

 

 

Go Radio have released the music video for their new single, "Go to Hell."  The song will be on the new album, Close the Distance, out September 18th!  You can watch the video here

 

 

 

 

 



Yellowcard - Southern Air Review

One of my favorite bands is back with yet another album.  This was the most excited I’ve ever been for an album from these guys and I couldn’t know why.  When I finally listened to it, I knew why I didn’t have an answer before, because I was in complete shock on how great it was.  Yellowcard’s “Southern Air” is arguably their best release to date.  Coming off their hiatus with their solid 2011 release, “When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes” the band wanted to keep the ball rolling and take that momentum into the studio not even a year later.  This is a band that has already accomplished so much with albums such as Ocean Avenue and Paper Walls, but they always knew they could do more.  A handful of these songs are the best the band has ever written.  Ryan Key digs deep into himself to write the best and most personal lyrics to date, letting it all out on the table.  Vocally, he took it to a whole new level belting out his lungs from song to song.   Instrumentally, I love how they always keep their same sound while always being creative with it as drummer LPIII gets more and more technical as the album progresses.  The most underrated part about the band/album is they really do write the best bridges that make your jaw drop to the floor.

The first song, “Awakening,” a song that old fans will thoroughly enjoy showing nothing but fast-paced instrumentals and high energy vocals.  Key starts it off singing “Bottoms up tonight/I drink to you and I,” and that’s how I feel every time I listen to the album.  “Surface of the Sun” has one of my favorite choruses ever written, lyrically so inspiring.  It’s a perfect example of how less is always more as it explodes into such a huge bridge where this is the first instance of many on how far Key takes his vocals.  “Always Summer,” showing the appreciation to the fans for always being loyal and sticking around, with Sean Macklin going off with an impressive violin solo in the bridge.  Tay Jardine of We Are the in Crowd is featured on the radio-pop friendly, “Here I Am Alive,” co-written with Patrick Stump about the bands high and low points.  The song is one of the catchiest choruses they’ve written to date.   The middle track, “Sleep in the Snow,” one of the best songs all-around, displays just how far the band has come.  Putting together an incredible bridge followed by an amazing unexpecting piano outro where Key sings at his best, “You think you can leave me here/but I know I’ll be back next year.”  Key wrote about his Aunt Stephanie again in “Telescope,” you can feel the emotion throughout the whole song and understand the impact she had on him as he sings, “My only hope/You’re my telescope,” along with the rest of the chorus.  This is the most technical song I’ve ever heard LPIII put a beat to. “Rivertown Blues,” being the most explosive track starting off with an epic intro followed by a fantastic chorus as Key sings “Back when we built something new/the world was ours to conquer/and we were not afraid to lose ourselves.”  Underrated guitarist Ryan Mendez ends the song with a ridiculously good guitar solo!  The acoustic led, “Ten,” has the most brutal lyrics written to date, a song about losing a child before birth.  You don’t know what to do with yourself after listening to the song.  The closing title track about home and family, another killer closer that makes you want to sing to the chorus while still not forgetting about the great musicianship including the great jam session at the end of the song. 

This album has all the components in life thrown into one.  Southern Air could be the album that showcases the whole band’s accomplishments.  They are growing up just like we are, you always know right then and there how they are feeling, what they are going through.  Yellowcard is one of those exceptions that should never ever change their producer.  Neal Avron to me is the secret weapon, always pushing the band and taking them to heights that far exceeded anyone’s expectations.  As a bonus, they also did a cover of  Coldplay’s “Fix You,” which is easily one of the best covers I’ve ever heard.

 

I give this album a 9.5/10

Listen to - Well I would list 3 songs, but in this case you should really listen to the whole album

 

 

 

All Time Low Reveal Details On New Album "Don't Panic"

 

 

 

All Time Low's new album, Dont Panic, will be released on October 9th through Hopeless Records.  You can see the album art and the tracklisting below!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tracklist

1. The Reckless And The Brave
2. Backseat Serenade (feat. Cassadee Pope)
3. If These Sheets Were States
4. Somewhere in Neverland
5. So Long Soldier (feat. Anthony Raneri of Bayside)
6. The Irony of Choking on a Lifesaver
7. To Live and Let Go
8. Outlines (feat. Jason Vena of Acceptance)
9. Thanks to You
10. For Baltimore
11. Paint You Wings
12. So Long, And Thanks For All The Booze

Hands Like Houses Release "This Ain't No Place For Animals" Music Video

 

 

Hands Like Houses have released the music video for "This Ain't No Place For Animals."  The song coming off their latest album, Ground Dweller.