Top 4 tracks from the week of April 12-18
Anger Management – Boys of Fall
After being a band, announcing an impending break-up, and releasing a final album, the Boys of Fall have decided they are a band, again. I only heard of Boys of Fall because their lead vocalist works with Jarrod Alonge on his fictional project Amidst The Grave’s Demons. I listened to them when I first heard about them a couple years ago, but didn’t really care for them. However, this new song is really a step forward. It’s a great blend of pop-punk tendencies, which really gets the head bobbing. Some great harmonies, and great vocals overall, take this pretty straightforward song to another level. I’m impressed, and I hope they continue down this path with their next few singles.
RIYL: Alive In Standby, A Day To Remember, With Confidence
Lost In The Grey – Miss May I
Many people weren’t sure if MMI would continue as a band following so many setbacks. However, I never counted them out. Levi and the MMI boys are some of the most resilient people in the scene: they refuse to give up. Always the odd band out, Miss May I have stood the test of time as a metal band in a sea of metalcore, or screamo, bands. Instead of nasally high vocals, this band totes blastbeats. This song shows no difference, a true return to form after a bit of a break. Fresh off signing to the hottest new label in town, SharpTone Records, this is the lead single off the upcoming sixth album from this band in 9 years. Most bands would only have 3 or 4 in that amount of time. As far as the song goes, it’s exactly what fans have come to expect from Miss May I. A song about overcoming obstacles, proving others wrong, and having a whole lot of fun doing it. Intricate breakdowns, fast guitars and drums, and riffing that borders on soloing throughout the entire song. One thing is for sure: Miss May I aren’t going anywhere.
RIYL: Atreyu, Like Moths To Flames, As I Lay Dying
Beautiful Things – Grayscale
I honestly can’t get this song out of my head. They play pop-punk, but it’s not like the pop-punk everyone else is playing. It has moments of Jimmy Eat World, a more emo style. Nonetheless, I really love it. While there’s nothing that is amazing about this song, like a crazy guitar solo or something, the ability to build a catchy, original song is a huge talent in itself, and should be celebrated. This song really has some great moments, like the chorus of oohhhs behind the chorus. The bridge is amazing, with the driving downstrokes, and the outro of a lo-fi acoustic guitar signing the refrain is brilliant. I really dig this song. This album may end up on my top 10.
RIYL: Mayday Parade, A Loss For Words, Transit
Cursed (Feat. Bryan Garris of Knocked Loose) – Gideon
I think it’s been established that I love Gideon. Their groovy, heavy grinding tracks are always my favourite. This song is no different. However, what makes it stand out is the guest vox from the lead singer of the hottest band in the scene right now, Knocked Loose. He adds a dimension of intensity in everything he does that doesn’t exist if he’s not in there. This song has all those groovy riffs and some nice breakdowns. They continue to experiment with harmonics and complex drum beats, and I really like what they did here in this song with those. Gideon is funny because they’re evolving from their earlier stuff, but it’s not clear what direction they want to go. So they’re experimenting with a bunch of different sounds, and I love it. Getting to hear a bunch of different styles of Gideon is amazing, and this heavier version is one of the best. And they will always be my go-to workout band.
RIYL: Wage War, Knocked Loose, The Ghost Inside
Alastair Heinrichs 