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Rating: PREFACE: 'Story Of The Year' represents an alternative frontier to the classic nu-metal. For those who are not familiar with them, it may not be very simple to describe their characteristics. The press classifies them as yet another nu-metal band in the style of Linkin Park, I disagree with this classification (probably the magazines were influenced by the tour that saw Story supporting Linkin Park).
Let's get into the heart of the description; "In The Wake Of Determination" is the second work by the St. Louis band after "Page Avenue".
>>WE DON'T CARE ANYMORE<< & >>TAKE ME BACK<<: ENERGY AND SPEED
The album starts with the aforementioned tracks which, in my opinion, are the best on the album. "We Don't Care Anymore" features a complex rhythm but is easily recognizable even on the first listen. The lyrics are very harsh and speak of a night spent in the hard world of night battles. The lyrics of "Take Me Back" are decidedly more moving, in which Dan Marsala (the songwriter) desperately asks to be brought back in time (Take me Back). The guitar is the dominant aspect of the intro, then it gives way to Marsala's grating voice, followed by a decidedly catchy chorus (no wonder this is the first single released from the album). The time breaks are excellent, decorated with quality guitar riffs. As mentioned before, the piece closes with Marsala's desperate cries (take me back, take me back...) asking to be taken back in time. The ending is dense and melodic with the use of the piano.
>>OUR TIME IS NOW<<: TOO MANY FORCED SCREAMS; >>TASTE THE POISON<<: RIFFS AND MELODY;
The third track of the album is "Our Time Is Now", it is somewhat more difficult to understand its structure, as it is quite an arrhythmic song, highlighted by the singer's poor performance during the screams, trying to imitate Linkin Park's Chester Bennington (hence the analogies start) and the much-praised and admired Chris Cornell. Otherwise, a good drum finale and, as in the previous pieces, a catchy chorus. "Taste The Poison" starts lightly then is filled with heavy riffs and punk-rock style guitars. The lyrics are rather reflective like those of "Take Me Back", but the listener realizes that something is changing, ready to present the second part of the album.
A RETURN TO THE PAST: >>STEREO<<, >>FIVE AGAINST THE WORLD<< and >>SLEEP<<;
For those who are not familiar with them, Story has earned an important place in the American nu-metal scene thanks to "And The Hero Will Drown" in 2002 (their first single). "STEREO" seems to be the second part of the much famed first single of the band. Hard sound, assertive drums, and screams, this time a bit more sensible at the end. A not-bad track. "FIVE AGAINST THE WORLD" presents an irregular rhythm just like the previous "Our Time Is Now", but here we are talking about a song with somewhat philosophical lyrics (it talks about the time they will be remembered, the time they won't forget, in short, a bit of a "psychoanalyzing" discussion). Spectacular guitar solo, decent ending, a mix of screams and drums. "SLEEP" is a song that, in my opinion, does not deserve a particular in-depth analysis because it wants to drag the listener into a climate of tranquility almost to convince that the album is not only guitars, bass, and screams, in short, a failed attempt at soft-rock. Too similar to "Take Me Back".
THE MIDDLE PART "FORCED": TOO MUCH CHAOS AND CENSORED LYRICS;
In my opinion, the middle part of the album represents the first sign of an inevitable decline of a nonetheless good-quality album. "MEATHEAD" and "MARCH OF THE DEAD" represent the desperate attempt to extend a CD that seems to have already reached its end (but it won't be the case). Once again, Take Me Back represents "the point of reference" to continue on decent levels. The lyrics are a mix between "explicit lyrics" and gratuitous violence, but nothing special. >>SUE YOUR FRIENDS, PAY YOUR ENEMY<>WAKE UP THE VOICELESS<< "Make yourself heard" seems like this is Dan Marsala's desperate appeal, intent on convincing listeners to start a guerrilla against uniformity. More than the melody, it's the lyrics themselves that are convincing.
DRY-MOUTHED END: >>IS THIS MY FATE? HE ASKED THEM<>A SILENT MURDER<<;
Perhaps the quintet from St. Louis is overreaching a bit, perhaps they expect too much from their good but not immense capabilities. Repetitive rhythm, similar to "Stereo", and base choked by a guitar that does not convince. Screams not valued, let's say embarrassing, the "market" style. Worst track on the album for the reviewer (and not only). It's unclear what "A Silent Murder" is meant to signify; it seems to be the second attempt at a catchy melody; another failed attempt, we can freely assert that they are not capable of behaving like good guys!
COMMENT: Overall, it's fair to talk about a good album that certainly surpassed the previous work. What amazes is that, at first listen, especially the first part of the album seems like a failed attempt to imitate Linkin Park or the "old" Lostprophets; in reality, Story-Year is a well-established reality that over time will gain more and more space.
ADVICE: Don't know them at all? "Get hold of the single "And The Hero Will Drown from 2002, as it represents the mirror of the band's sound. If you have the console game "Need For Speed Underground", go through the tracks, you will find this song. (This is not stealth advertisement for the game, I don't work for EA!)
Rating: between 3 and 4. Let's go with 4 stars because they deserve it.
THE BAND: Dan Marsala - Voice Ryan Philips AKA The Nose - guitar Philip Sneed - guitar The Skull - bass Constable Wills - drums
THE TRACKLIST: »In the Wake of Determination« We Don't Care Anymore Take Me Back Our Time Is Now Taste the Poison Stereo Five Against the World Sleep Meathead March of the Dead Sue Your Friends, Pay Your Enemy Wake Up the Voiceless "Is This My Fate?", He Asked Them A Silent Murder
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 We Don't Care Anymore (03:31)
Underneath the gun in front of waiting eyes
Our time has just begun no second chance tonight
So we walk the longest days to live inside the shortest nights
We compromise our hearts to keep them satisfied
The shadows of our past, hard to ignore but judgment means nothing that's not what we're fighting for
We don't care anymore
We don't care anymore
We don't care anymore
We don't care anymore
Underneath the gun in front of doubting eyes
We walk this path as one take on the world tonight
And we'll carve our names into their bones
We'll never sell ourselves that's not what we're fighting for
We don't care anymore
We don't care anymore
We don't care anymore
We don't care anymore
I won't let this love, I won't let this love die, I won't let it die
There is only one thing that matters this time
At the hands of judgment I won't let it die, no sacrifice, regrets left behind, I won't let it die
This time, yeah, this time I won't let it die, that's not what we're fighting for
We don't care anymore
We don't care anymore
We don't care anymore
We don't care anymore
We don't care anymore
No we don't care anymore
We don't care anymore
We don't care anymore
I won't let this love, I won't let this love die
04 Taste the Poison (03:44)
it's the same old story
i've seen it all too many times
it's the fall from glory
that makes you feel
place your needle to the record, stab it down
it feels good to be the one to break the skin
so run with me now, look at me now
you're face down, tell yourself you're happy once again
right now you need this more than anything
but it's never enough, it's never enough for you
and it's the same old story
i've seen it all too many times
it's the fall from glory
that makes you feel alive
and you know the hardest truth can flow like water now
break down, the moment that it touches your mouth
so place your lips against the bottle, take it down
it feels good to lose control of everything
but i wasn't myself, i wasn't myself she said
and it's the same old story
i've seen it all too many times
it's the fall from glory
that makes you feel alive
and it's the same old story
i've seen it all too many times
but it's not what you wanted
can anyone feel, can anyone see
can anyone taste the poison that we need
that we need
place your needle to the record, stab it down
it feels good to be the one to break the skin
so run with me now, look at me now
you're face down, this is what you wanted
this is what you wanted, this is what you wanted
and i know, but we've lost control
HERE WE GO
yah can anyone feel, can anyone see, yeah
can anyone taste the poison that we need
yah can anyone feel, can anyone see, yeah
can anyone taste the poison that we need
that we need, that we need, that we need
yah that we need
05 Stereo (03:29)
We're all born within
This thoughtless world
A generation bought and sold
By a reproduced, stolen, copied package
We've been taught to love this robotic formula
Built to please ignorant minds, uncultured masses
Do we know, that our ears have failed us now?
Stereo, stereo
Tired bullshit dressed in gold
Scan the youth, find the pieces
(Our ears have failed us now)
Stereo, stereo
Hear the world that you've created
Fall to pieces
We're all bought and sold!
Radio waves still transmit the same
Replica that wreaks of staleness and decay
Unless we resist, and open our eyes to this
Uniform and standard model they insist we consume
Our hearts have failed us now
Stereo, stereo
Tired bullshit dressed in gold
Scan the youth, find the pieces
(Our hearts have failed us now)
Stereo, stereo
Hear the world that you've created
Fall to pieces
But do we know
WE'VE ALL BEEN BOUGHT AND SOLD
YEAH, BOUGHT AND SOLD
WE'VE ALL BEEN BOUGHT AND SOLD
YEAH, BOUGHT AND SOLD
We've all been sold to a world that failed us
Stereo, stereo
Tired bullshit dressed in gold
Scan the youth, find the pieces
(Our hearts have failed us now)
Stereo, stereo
Hear the world that you've created
Fall to pieces
Stereo, stereo
Tired bullshit dressed in gold
Scan the youth, find the pieces
Stereo, stereo
Hear the world that you've created
Fall to pieces
We're all bought and sold, we're all bought and sold
WE'VE BEEN BOUGHT!
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