Numerous bands have come out of Los Angeles, California.  But very few have the uncompromising talent and the potential to change the face of music in the same way that Nirvana did with grunge in the early 90s.  What sets Dead Sara apart from their contemporaries is their ability to seamlessly incorporate influences from the genres of classic rock, blues, folk, metal, punk, and gospel; fusing them all together to develop a brand new sound — somewhere in the vein of hard rock, but with an explosive kick!

Founding members, Emily Armstrong (lead vocals) and Siouxsie Medley (guitar/background vocals), have been friends since they were teens and have been playing together ever since.  Furthermore, adding a spark of pure magic to the band, Chris Null (bass) and Sean Friday (drums) round out the four piece line-up with a rock solid rhythm section.

Since 2008 with the release of their EP, The Airport Sessions (with former bassist Dan Kelly and drummer Jarrod Alexander), Dead Sara has been doing much more than just kicking ass and taking names.  In 2012 they released their first full length studio album, Dead Sara, produced by Noah Shain (Atreyu, Skrillex) on their own label, Pocket Kid Records.

Riding high on the popularity of “Weatherman,” the album’s first single, Dead Sara has already gained air play on both terrestrial and Sirius/XM satellite radio stations.  They have racked up thousands of miles touring, and in the process amassed a growing army of dedicated fans.  Sharing the stage with veteran bands such as Bush, Dead Sara has already booked shows on summer tours with The Used and Chevelle.  They will also be a featured band at this year’s Vans Warped Tour, and will play on the same bill as Black Stone Cherry, SainD, Godsmack, Pop Evil, and Art of Dying at The Rock 106.9 WCCC’s Big Gig in Hartford, CT in May.

While this band is fronted by a dynamic duo — Armstrong’s vocals would not be out of place among musical heavyweights such as Janis Joplin (Big Brother and the Holding Company), Ann Wilson (Heart), Melissa Etheridge, Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac), and Joan Jett.  And, Medley wields her axe with unstoppable feral driven intensity creating edgy and pulsating guitar riffs.  Make no mistake, Dead Sara is not to be written off as another chick band.  They are a straight up balls to the wall rock band that plays rock n’ roll the way it was meant to be played – honest, gritty, unapologetic, and LOUD!

“Whisper’s & Ashes,” the album’s premiere track, is a mid-tempo survival anthem about self realization, heartache and potential regret, while learning from past mistakes before finally finding some sort of peace and moving on.  Vocally, Armstrong exudes power and strength:

What’s my mistakes, that comfort me

Mysteries lead the blind guessing to explain

While I’m, safe from the wreckage, my memory’s torn

On what is worth fighting for

Then I’m safe from the wreckage, I don’t feel safe anymore

Just floating above the earth, alone

Medley provides some deliciously heavy distortion on guitars, while Friday delivers with some powerful beats, and Null with an equally tight bass line.

The track “We Are What You Say” only needs two words to describe it – contained chaos.  Inspired by many of the “major label executives who suggested [the band] develop a more pop-friendly sound,” Dead Sara decided to ignore their suggestions and stay true to their musical vision and themselves (ReverbNation).  Armstrong instead, offers a polite “fuck you” in response as she sings:

Brought down by somebody else’s lack of education

Shouldn’t be you that it hurts

But I took all the advice that I could take

Before I thought to give up

I bet you thought I’d give up

If this is Dead Sara’s version of “pop,” even the hardest of rock fans will gladly take it!  With hi-hats, a strong backbeat, a hypnotic bass line, catchy guitar riffs, and generally a positive vibe that could musically be compared to a phoenix rising from the ashes, this song evokes feelings of hope and fortitude.  Armstrong also can’t help but inspire listeners to become more than they are.   By taking a page from her book, anyone can apply the following lyrics to his or her own situation:  “You can’t back down kid, back down kid…You can’t back out now, back out now/ We are what you say/ We are not what you think.”

“Weatherman” the album’s first single, is also the first song that the group collaborated on together.  Filled with plenty of punk attitude and rock heft,  Medley makes her guitar growl with raw adrenaline-pumping riffs.  Friday initially explodes on his drums, but then is able to harnesses that intensity while still maintaining driving innovative licks.  Null rages and smolders on his bass, and Armstrong’s vocals are so magnetic, she can sing a melody one moment and then unleash a scream with enough attitude that would make Courtney Love (Hole) proud.  For anyone who finds “Weatherman” a bit ambiguous, Armstrong says that it is about “having your own voice and being heard. Standing up for your rights, and taking back what is yours. Freedom!” (Buzzbands.LA).  Belting out the phase, “Go for the kill!”  That exactly what this band does — successfully combining elements of hardcore punk and alternative, as well as rock and metal.  This is a song that is guaranteed to get stuck in your head for days!

“Monumental Holiday” is another song that rocks as hard as “Weatherman”.  Beginning with the familiar sound of feedback, reminiscent of the good old days of grunge, Dead Sara adds their own 21st century spin.  This track also showcases Friday’s abilities with some enjoyable monster fills and some in your face rock drumming.  It is satisfyingly frenzied, angry, and raw.

In addition to the album’s faster tracks, there is also an assortment of mid-tempo and slower tunes.

Most notably, “Face to Face” which is a southern flavored ballad. It is a song about feeling “stuck” in a failing relationship, trying to figure out what to do, and the discovery of self in the process.  There are so many intense emotions in this song — frustration, anger, pain, and even some love.  Not only does Armstrong capture these feelings, but she is able to evoke them in the listener.  Especially during the part where she screams, “Am I dead, am I dead, am I dead to him? \ Well, Baby, baby, baby, here I am.”  She truly sings from her heart and is able to move an audience in the same way that Janis Joplin could.

“Sorry For It All,” another ballad which was initially released on their EP, Airport Sessions, rounds out the album.  Relationships are never easy, and sometimes even when people are in love things end.  Occasionally, some find their way back to each other.  Most just move on or find a way to heal and/or survive with a broken heart.  Opening with a solid bass line from Null, Armstrong turns into a breathy siren on this track which exhibits her versatility as a singer:

This song is not for you, its for everything I wish I could be

Behind closed doors is where I stand, closed windows, one more chance

And you are sorry for it all

I can’t, nothing is my fault

Dead Sara is what all rockers have been waiting for – a band that finally cuts like a knife through all the corporate cookie cutter mediocrity that has been flooding the airwaves for the last few years!  This album is one eargasmic experience after another.  Dead Sara makes their listeners want to brave the mosh pit in order to become completely engulfed in the emotions and raw energy that their music puts forth.  They are not a band, they are an experience.

Many consistently argue that punk is dead, and rock is on life support at best.  However, thanks to Dead Sara and a few other bands, rock may just have gotten the shot of adrenaline it so desperately needed.  After listening to their album, it’s easy to see why, according to Rolling Stone Magazine, Dead Sara has been “approved” by both Courtney Love and Grace Slick (Jefferson Airplane).  But, there is only one way to see what all the fuss is about – check ‘em out for yourself!

The album starts off with “Fire With Fire”, one of the most awesome female-fronted rock songs I have heard in a while. As Christians, they have challenges both on and off the road. You shouldn’t just stand there and watch everything. “Invisible” is an awesome rock song. If you have ever felt like you are lost, this is a song for you. The title track is also the first single from TLB. Sometimes you feel like you are a failure, God will still help you even if you are “Hanging On By A Thread.”

“Believe” just so happens to be one of my favorite songs on the album. It’s a song that proclaims the band’s love for God. God is unknown and as Christians, we need to have faith. “There’ll Come a Day” is a song basically about the day we all enter Heaven and all the pain will be gone. “My Disease” is a song that is calling the world a disease. It keeps on killing the singer and she gives up and goes on God’s side. “I’m Just Fine” has almost the same meaning behind it as “My Disease.” It is telling the world I’m just fine without you.

“Best Of Me” is a ballad that is saying that none of us will ever be perfect and we are giving God the best of us. “All I Want” is the first song on the album with screaming on it. It’s saying that all she wants is God to take her in and take her away from the hell of this world. “Moving On” was the third and final song from the EP that was also on the LP. It’s saying that she used to have a relationship with the world and now they are “breaking up.”

“More To This” is another one of my favorite songs lyrically. It has lyrics about things we see and/or hear about in everyday life. It tells those victims that there is more to this life than what is currently going on. On “Care Too Much,” the singer describes her struggle with the world – by the end of the song it is easy to understand that a great deal of her anguish comes from just that, caring too much.  “Wounded” is my favorite song on the album. If you are a rocker, like me, you will probably like this song — Christian or not. The song is mostly vocalized by the singer, Sarah Anthony’s husband, Mark Anthony. I love his voice, and the message conveyed is that the world is wounded and needs to turn around to God.

TLB is an awesome band that I believe would also put on an awesome live show! They go from the slow ballads like “More To This” to the heavy-hitting metal tracks like “Wounded” If you are a rock fan of any kind, this album is a must have! This is definitely in my top 5 favorite debut albums of all time!

The album overall delivers a sound that brings Breaking Benjamin to mind. Filled with chunky hard rock and soaring vocals from Nathan George (especially on EMURGpick “Can I Live”), this album hardly ever ceases to intrigue the listener. Songs like “New Addiction,” “Face My Fears,” “Can I Live,” and “Sincere” are prime examples.

Lyrically, the album also tends to be thought-provoking at times. “Can I Live” asks in the chorus “Can I live in this world I’ve created?” “Face My Fears” delves even further into the dark side of life with “Now I’m on my own, you know I can’t go on this like alone, to face my fears.” While the lyrics aren’t perfect all the way through the album, in other places they’re a redeeming quality (“Find A Way”).

For the most part, every song has something to like about it or a redeeming quality to it. Even songs on the lower end of the spectrum like “The Bitter End” still has impressive musicianship to them.  It ends up becoming a matter more of which songs in particular you appreciate the most.

Overall, Dark From Day One has put together an album with memorable musicianship and often intriguing lyrics. On one hand, the album could have done with a little more diversity.  On the other hand, that doesn’t stop the songs from being as good as they are. Either way, this band still on the higher end of the spectrum in the huge independent hard rock market. I can safely say that I’m looking forward to seeing what they do next.

Upon listening to their album, a watered down Nine Inch Nails mixed with the softer side of Linkin Park, combined with the gravely vocal styling of Chris Cornell creates the alternative rock sound of Until The Anthem. Watered down as it may be, do not take this reference as a slight!

Just because they don’t have the lower tunings and edgy lyrics reminiscent of NIN doesn’t mean Until The Anthem doesn’t hold their own ground! This band has begun their musical journey using sounds that are reminiscent of classic NIN, as well as modern day Linkin Park.  As a result, Until The Anthem has found their own individual way of creating music.

From the beginning of the album, Until The Anthem grabs your attention with the fast paced song titled “Bullets”. This song is full of great harmonies in the verses and heavy hitting guitars in the chorus. “Bullets” has some great programming in it as well, especially near the end where the riff skips a bit and puts a fresh new sound to the same song. It makes you want to rewind the song to hear it all again.

The CD continues with the song “You’re Not Alone”. It is a fairly simple song, but has a great chorus that I challenge anyone to try and not get it stuck in their head.  If you are not singing this chorus after the song is through than you probably weren’t listening to the song at all. They bring back the fun programming of the guitars in the bridge and again left me wanting to rewind and hear that energy again.

As the disc continues, there are softer songs that in the right setting and mood could make you drift away into a musical dream land. The song “Melody” is one such song. It is a wonderful song with flowing guitars and simple drums keeping the beat along the way. It is here in this song that the gravely high pitched notes reminiscent of Chris Cornell can really be heard. I personally think this song would have made a great closer to the CD especially with the dreamy female vocals floating in the background surrounded by strings and lasting notes holding out till the end.

The next song kicks right into their most electronic track yet, “Six Feet”, which has a very sexy and slithering tone throughout.  Though it is very different from the CD’s opener “Bullets”, it is close to what the group is trying to achieve and by far uninviting or skip worthy. As the disc continues, they stick to the same structure as before with another rock song “KOS” to the slower song “What If” and soon into another electronically influenced song “Make It Out Alive”.

The CD closes with the song “Call to Arms”, which reminds me of the sound that Linkin Park has evolved in to today. It is filled with marching drums, electronic beats, and sound effects alongside a vocal plea of starting a revolution. If I couldn’t have “Melody” end the CD, this would definitely be my second choice. By the time the CD is done, you’re ready to replay the first track and get the experience all over again.

I can’t say that Until The Anthem is doing anything over the top original, but they are definitely taking a new look at blending alternative rock  and electronic elements and bringing them in a nice fresh package to your ears. If you are a fan of Linkin Park or even 30 Seconds to Mars and you’re looking for that new CD to add to your collection, Until The Anthem is that band.

In My Coma is:

Jasper James – Vocals, Guitar

Laura Doll – Bass, Vocals

Mike Paterson – Drums

In My Coma brings a cerebral, thinking man’s approach to rock music in the likes of bands such as People in Planes and A Perfect Circle.

Magnets & Miracles is quite the ambitious debut. The slithery opener “Friendly Fire” kicks things off with a bang. It was interesting to hear a mix of electronica sampling and acoustic guitar as it could be lost in the mix, but In My Coma makes the epic layering work really well.

“Lined Up Locked Away” is one of my early favorites. It starts with an industrial hip-hopish intro before it goes into some classic sounding Fragile era Nine Inch Nails thing.

“Losing Sleep” is the longest track on the album, but has one of the catchier sounding songs of Magnets & Miracles. “I know the weather’s getting so damn cold, I never wanna let it go, ’cause I know that when the sun comes no one will be waking up…” read the lyrics of the chorus.

They may not carry the same heaviness of bands on their label, Sights and Sounds, like Evans Blue, but there is an intensity in their sound nonetheless.

“Hit Them Down Kid” has the longest intro and takes a bit to get going, but when it gets going, you get rocking. “Lost” slows the pace of the album down a bit with a beautiful string filled piano-driven piece.

My EMURGpick has to be for “Believe Me”. I feel that it represents the band’s sound the best. It truly has a bit of everything to listen out for.  You’ve got the Interpol-esque monotonous vocals, the infectiously catchy lyrics, and a driving, almost dance-y beat throughout the song.

“Homesick” brings out a bit of their heavier side and carries a bit of a Stabbing Westward vibe to it. “Crazy World” is another very catchy song and one that I can envision hearing on radio in the future, perhaps more than their other video/radio singles (“Believe Me”, “Losing Sleep”, and “Friendly Fire”).

“Trip Denes” has a nice driving intro and probably has the most reminiscence to Depeche Mode. There are not a lot of hard rock songs I could imagine being played at a club, but this would easily fit in to a DJ’s list.

“Voices” intros with news clips ranging from MLK and Malcolm X to announcement of JFK’s death. I would argue that this is the heaviest song on the album, musically speaking. “Hiding from the rest of them, feeling like I’m one of them…” is my favorite line on the record.

“Dreamers” may be the biggest departure from the rest of the album. Starting off completely stripped down, they fill up a wall of sound that they are so good at doing on Magnets & Miracles. Towards the bridge, the song brings you home with handclaps.

“My Friend” is another really beautiful, relatively stripped down song that makes really good use of harmonizing vocals between Jasper James and Laura Doll.

For a debut album, it’s one heck of a diversified album. As I mentioned, there’s a little bit of everything on the album where you have hints of indie rock, industrial and electronica, hard rock and progressive rock on this album.

In My Coma pulls off an impressive debut by pulling you in with its magnetic wall of sound. If “Believe Me” doesn’t get you to start dancing or start rocking, it’d be a miracle if you still have a pulse.

Titans Eve manage to have an old school thrash sound while being able to pull off really solid production and in keeping with the Titan aspect of their name they have a pretty monstrous sound. The cover art for The Divine Equal won’t do a whole lot to pull you in (something that’s been fixed for their upcoming sophomore release Life Apocalypse), but once you get past the art and hear the music your qualms are pretty much settled.

First, we’ll get to know the band. We’ve got Brian Gamblin on guitar and lead vocals, his brother Kyle Gamblin on guitar and backup vocals, Jesse Hord on bass, and Casey Ory on drums.

Musically speaking, this album is tight. There are plenty of great solos to be found, epic driving riffs, and gang vocals a plenty. It’s got all the makings of a great thrash album and they are organized very well. The inspiration from older more established thrash bands like Metallica and Exodus is pretty evident, but those are good places to draw influence from. However, as much as this is a good mix of great thrash elements, it doesn’t do a whole lot to explore new territory. Any fan of thrash will enjoy the album, but this probably won’t blow your socks off.

That being said let’s start with the vocals. There are plenty of great ‘thrashy’ growls provided by Brian in the album with a ton of gang vocals thrown in. I like the brothers gang vocals and they work well on most every song, but it does feel at times like that’s all there is. Brian’s got a good voice, and he should definitely use it more; where it is used though it definitely works well.

As far as guitars go, there are plenty of great driving riffs that get you pumped up and ready to fight. Those are met with frequent and well executed solo’s, and Jesse’s bass, while not really getting any time in the spotlight, is audible and does a great job working with the rhythm guitars.

Casey Ory’s drum work is one of my favorite aspects of the album. There’s a great mix of fast rhythms and more anthemic sounding drums that provide an excellent backbone to the entire album while also drawing attention to itself occasionally with some well-placed fills.

The best aspect of the whole album maybe it’s flow. Nothing feels out of place, and each song feels connected to the last in some way or another. The atmosphere is similar to many other thrash albums, and like I said this album doesn’t really break the mold, but it does fit that mold perfectly.

It’s definitely an album any thrash fan should check out, or anyone for that matter. It’s well worth your time. These guys have crafted an excellent debut and I’m now looking forward to hearing their upcoming album Life Apocalypse.

The best song on the album varies depending on how many times I listen to Dying For A Living.  At first it was “Dumb Luck.”  This medium paced grunge rocker boasts twin guitar riffs and beautiful minor key chord changes.  The storyteller’s unfortunate luck is realizing that he should have lived his life differently just before he dies.  The lyrics are filled with sadness.
“I want a go to a place I don’t know/ Where I can ease my troubled mind/ Forget all the pain I left behind.”

I suspect guitar players Dave Fyten and Andrew Breit are big fans of Alice in Chains, as their axe work on this song is reminiscent of Jerry Cantrell.

Then, my favorite song was “You Don’t Get It,” an upbeat modern rock tune with harmonic vocals and an addictive guitar melody.  It boasts amazing chord work and a song structure that displays technical writing skills unseen in most modern rock bands.  This was the band’s second single from the album.

However through multiple listens I discovered Red Line Chemistry’s true depth with songs like “Ultragigantor” , “Plastic Masquerade”, and “So Many Days.”  While the first two singles from this album were meant to attract new listeners, the deeper cuts on Dying for a Living will reward serious fans.

“Ultragigantor” is an anthemic industrial rock song with lyrics meant to be repeated by the crowd at a live show, “Deny Your Limitations.”  Drummer Mike Mazzarese is playing the high hat on the upbeat and bass drum on the down beat to make this tune a great head banger.  Though singer Brett Ditgen never truly explains the meaning of the song title, the lyrics tell the inspiring story of a man who wants to better himself:

“It’s all part of the animal in myself/ and I just don’t care anymore/ I let it take the shape of duality/ and I feel I’m breaking out/ It’s about letting the animal inside come out.”

Ditgen follows those lyrics with a huge scream that is more metalcore than hard rock.

“Plastic Masquerade” is the album’s epic power ballad, weighing in at seven and half minutes.  It starts slow with acoustic guitar harmonies that build into heavy rock.  This song shows the true strength of the band, as it demonstrates how dynamic the musicians can be when they want to slow things down.

On the softer side, the album closes with “So Many Days,” which features a cello accompanying the band.  It’s also Ditgen’s best vocals, as he does a great job of emoting his feelings of love for someone who is far away.  This would be a good song to hold up your lighter during the live performance.

Red Line Chemistry is a big, heavy rock band filled with talented musicians that draw their material from the best of 90’s grunge and modern hard rock & alternative.  With frequent key changes and beautiful harmony layered on top of twin guitar riffs they’ll keep your head banging and your toe tapping from start to finish with this release.  This band is the musical cure for people who are tired of Nickleback sound-a-like songs.

Highly recommended.

By the way, they are working on a new album that will be released later in 2012.

Down and Above’s album Hold Your Breath for a Rising Tide goes many directions, often in the same song, but there is a well-crafted thread of honesty in the lyrics and soul in the music. That soul can’t be placed on a graded scale with its sister wrought from skyscrapers and streetlights and judged as better or worse, it’s unique and stands apart in our minds as an ideal that we enjoy though may never strive for.

Down and Above, DNA to loyal followers, have been at it for a while now with their first CD release dropping in 2004 and Hold Your Breathe being their third effort. The band started in the aforementioned Montana but then jumped into the fray of the Minneapolis music scene and garnered attention from there. DNA’s writing is firmly rooted in the tradition of storytelling in American music. The lyrics in the Hold Your Breath often prefer to make specific points rather than generalizations meant to coerce the pop radio-drenched masses into buying t-shirts.

Are Down and Above ready to take a bar stool next to Springsteen and Waits? Not quite, but these guys are on to something and we should let them do their thing. A great example of this is the track “Breakdown on Interstate 80″, they let us ride their riff as we shoot down the highway in their tour van, alongside the band’s members trying to figure out if stale coffee and Cheetos dust actually tastes decent. The lyrics narrate the trip at a pace matching the speeding van, the song hunching forward over the wheel and taking the listener into the beautiful void of this country’s most flown over states. Then just when you’re thinking that three hits of Five Hour Energy in ninety minutes couldn’t be a bad idea DNA drops back into a melodic chorus begging you to sing along. After all, you’ve been on this trip with them, you may as well stretch your pipes.

“Breakdown” can be taken as sort of a microcosm for Hold Your Breath, they’re telling you a story you can cheer for. It’s not auditory schizophrenia if you’re talented enough to weave everything together into thick, distinct layers that swing the emotion of the song to the same level of intensity. DNA has the talent to pull this off, the songs on Hold Your Breath are crafted to rise and fall as naturally as the tide and those sharp turns, those pitching changes in style are edited by someone with a vision of the music in its entirety. This is not music for the musician’s sake. When you listen to Hold Your Breath for a Rising Tide you understand that in a roundabout, if significant way, the album was written for you.

“Shark Attack”- It’s easy to dream up metaphors for love; a dance, a year’s worth of seasons, a chipmunk chasing the chainsaw tied to its tail, we haven’t heard them all but we’ve heard most. Then on this track I hear DNA’s rendition of love professed while treading water, lost in the ocean with only the person you care about to keep you company and I’ll admit that I was a little floored. Not only is this song a genius turn on a well-worn theme but it is the epitome of a band editing itself for the sake of the listener. The beat marches but doesn’t dare to pound, the guitar works its way around the vocals and doesn’t leap forward to demand too much attention while the vocals are heartfelt while themselves treading above the overly sweet sap that drowns so many introspective verses. The lyrics here are not only inventive enough to transport you to the scene but also speak to the common sense of Down and Above’s writing. For example the chorus, sang sincere yet with matter of fact, is exactly what we all sometimes need to hear at one instance or another

It’s alright/ It’s alright

We’re not gonna die tonight.

All the aforementioned wrapped in an a sweeping and honest arrangement graced by breathy vocals will leave you wanting for the light cast out by those country stars, maybe a tallboy, and definitely someone with deep eyes holding more truth than should be said.

“4 Leaf Clover”- Alright so I’m a sucker for anything Irish, call it a healthy respect for my ancestors. I laugh at the meatheads on St. Pat’s, I know a couple hundred ways to cook cabbage, and I have been reprimanded at work for trying to rouse my colleagues with a few verses of the Dropkick Murphys. Of course I dig this song, but this isn’t the punk rock ra-ra of whiskey-drunk brawls. This song is the 4AM sentimental Irishman calling out over the best of rural America. The slide guitar cries, the snare stumbles after a few too many, this track is the evocation of the Irish drinking song by American Craftsmen and is meant to be blared in an amphitheater. You can hear the crowd singing along with cups held high:

Lately, my dear, I’ve been searching my diary

For pages when you were still mine.

Words covered over by brushed four leaf clover,

Plucked from a luckier time

The song tricks you, winding down to the final somber note. It utters its last whisper and you’re alone in your living room ready to start cheering when DNA drops back in with a final melodic roar. It’s percussion as waves breaking on the cliffs of that storied island before finally leaving you in silence looking for someone to throw an arm around.

“Writing in Ink”- I can’t write a ton about this track because sometimes things are best left to their simplicity. “Writing in Ink” isn’t a thousand colors splashed across canvas until a world of collision comes forth, it’s the three colors artfully applied proving that they’re all you really need. The beat comes down from a distance and you’re ready to hold hands with a lover and walk into the unknown. The volume of the song rises, everything together with vocals reaching further and further upward, praying to fall on the right ears.

This time picking up my pen,

Write this year what I’ve known for ten.

We’ve been writing in pencil for all this time,

I wouldn’t erase a day.

The song wanders along, wishing and hoping. A simple melody trying convincing itself of its convictions. Then Down and Above sprints ahead with throbbing chords and rattling drums, launching itself into a short verse of affirmation and an arching chorus of a mere and powerful single syllable. Songs like “Writing in Ink” are great ways for a band to exit an album.  This song speaks, then preaches, then leaves with a few words written on your mirror for you to find later.

I swear I’m not a fan of love songs, for the most part I find them tired and calculated. The three songs featured above and many more on the album are well-crafted and strikingly original takes on the subject played by a band with the wherewithal to evoke emotion in a new and interesting way. After all, that common human spirit I mentioned towards the top? Togetherness is a big part of that, and love may be nothing more than togetherness to the power of twelve.

With atmospheric bursts of driven, painted distortion over tumbling rhythms Hold Your Breath for a Rising Tide strikes with its range. It bounds from riff to break with genre-bending songs put forth with a common sensibility running throughout it center. Down and Above proves on this album that they are ready for the next level of success. With this album, they are silently and desperately begging for someone to build them an outdoor stage somewhere beautiful. I, for one, would find that a worthy pursuit.

The Dark Side is the perfect album title for Fireal because it gives a delicious insight into both what the band is about and the theme that runs through the album.

The band has had a fair amount of ‘bad luck’ on the climb to success – changes regarding their line-up, band name, and even their record company have all cast dark shadows at various times.  However, with one listen to this album, it is clear that there is no holding Fireal back.  They will continue to push on forward.

The album does seem to reflect these dark places but not in a way that drains you.  Despite the dark overtones and the gothic ambiance, the album remains strangely uplifting.

It is almost cliché to compare the band to HIM and The Rasmus simply because they hail from the same part of the globe – Finland. But Fireal’s music does encompass the same dark tones and echoes that both of the other bands are famous for.

It is gothic music at its best and the slight accent on the vocals really adds an air of gothic-ness to the songs.

My favourite song off the album is “Breathe” which is one of the less heavy songs on the album. The lyrics compensate by creating a claustrophobic atmosphere which really helps the listener understand the emotions channeled in the song.

The haunting string music at the start of “The Crying” is captivating and really sets the mood for the rest of the song.  The music is so beautiful that I almost did not want any vocals.  The music, to me, is the most important part of that song, without any words the music conveyed to me the image of tears – the slowness of the tears falling and then followed by the drip.

Caleb, the band’s vocalist and main songwriter says, “Since a teenager, I’ve had the bad habit of using songwriting and poems as a form of therapy during the hardships in my life; writing things on paper and singing those broken feelings out of my heart has always somehow healed me. It lets you get rid of even the darkest of emotions, and it really works. That has never been the problem”.

Unlike a lot of records where either the lyrics or the music stands out, to you this album enthralls the listener in both aspects.

“Arial” the token ballad laden with heavy piano notes, initial soft vocals which reach intensity come the chorus.

“The Niburu” which refers to doomsday but in an emotive sense rather than a scientific one – worth a close listen to.

It is an album that begs to be analyzed.  A good album should be able to be taken apart and let bleed.

Some may view this as arrogant, but in all fairness they have every reason to be. Their album is a sweet recipe of infectious melodies that ultimately get stuck in your head – I should know having had the album on repeat all day.  With saying that, the album does not get boring - even when it is on repeat. The genre may be metal but it is easy listening metal.  You can keep focus on work with it in the background whereas you probably would struggle doing this with some other heavier metal bands.

Weaving the likes of bands such as Tool, Breaking Benjamin, Seether and Puddle of Mudd, they bring their own unique sound into the gritty, musically solid style. The Sammus Theory has found a winning formula that is knocking their fans over.

With an effortless finesse topped with raw, unbridled energy, The Sammus Theory perform like a group of seasoned road veterans who have been touring for decades. They captivate, drawing the crowd in with their on-stage personas and leave the audience wanting more after they’ve gone.  The band has toured relentlessly for the last four years and has no plans to quit. They have shared the stage with big names like Avenged Sevenfold, Bullet For My Valentine, Stone Sour, and Shinedown.

Commercially, The Sammus Theory has been a featured artist on MTV2 with a video airing nation-wide daily during regular hours and on “Rock the Deuce” since march of 2008.

Trusting the Liar is the third album from the band and has a more refined sound that the first two albums album. It feels like the band have perfected their sound and you can hear it in their music.

The song that stands out for me on the album is “Pedestal”, which has a good balance of intense riffs mixed with melody.  Part of the song feels rather intense and you can hear that in both the grueling lyrics and repetitive strings – kind of like the Jaws theme but scarier. Obviously, this is metal were talking about.

“Trusting the Liar” the title track follows “Pedestal” and the order of songs could not be more spot on.  This is the perfect track to follow.  It begins with soft piano notes which contrast from the previous song, bring a chilled out feel.  However, there are sections of screaming vocals, but they complement the overall impassioned tone of the song.

I really enjoy the way The Sammus Theory mixs up their style in the songs.  They do not stick to solely screaming or melodic vocals but uses them both in a way that completely works.

The plucking guitar chords in “Falling Down” sound a little bit country in the same style that Seether sometimes sound a little bit country. It is a style that flaunts Hugh’s vocal range and allows the band to showcase their musical talents.

“In Line” is  rather angry, sporting the line “you better watch your fucking back”.  But, I imagine this is one of the most popular tracks with their fans because – have we not all felt like that?  Those seething sorts of rage that you just cannot let sink to the bottom without getting it off your chest. The drums are pivotal with crashing symbols – they really bring presence to the song.

It is definitely an album to stick on your ‘albums to listen to’ list. Being British, I never heard of the band before this review, but I feel that their sound would be welcomed over here - especially with the recent success of bands like Mastodon.  I will be keeping an eye on their progress and hopefully they make their way across the ocean so I can see them live.