If you’re feeling a little sad and pissed off, then St. Louis-based Story of the Year’s junior album “in the wake of determination” will be music to your emo ears.
That is, if you can stand listening to the same song over and over.
The band consists of members whose names sound like a cross between a vampire movie and that nerdy computer kid you picked on in high school: Dan Marsala, The Nose, Philip Sneed, The Skull and Constable Wills are the boys bringing the noise to your ears.
Their music, on the other hand sounds like a cross between whiny emo and whiny prog-emo.
The band has all the elements of a dynamic CD: finger-licking good guitar solos (where hell have they been?), incessant drumming and growling vocals. So where did they go wrong?
It’s hard to tell which direction they’re going in – pop punk, heavy metal or rockstar badass.
And if they’re trying to go in each direction collectively, then let me be the first to say that it’s a big no-no.
What makes this album a notch below mediocre is the fact that Story of the Year seem just as confused with their sound as your pothead friend trying to figure out his future.
Let’s quickly break down the CD. Story of the Year delivers their first song, “We Don’t Care Anymore” with angst and energy. Here, you may think they’re off to a good start.
Toward the middle of the CD, Story of the Year fall short – way short.
Their sound is redundant and becomes boring.
By the end of the album, you’re left exhausted by their heavy metal-esqe attempt at music.
Story of the Year falls short in making a good heavy metal album. Or a good emo album for that matter.
– Jess Wagner
