Product Description

This St. Louis-bred five piece's Epitaph debut is an artistic triumph in every sense. The beloved, million-selling band's third studio album is their finest, building on the strength of past accomplishments. Known for their kinetic live shows and ridiculously catchy songs, Story Of The Year have always been famously ballsy in their mixing of glossy production, big rock hooks, and honeyed melodies with searing metal riffs and intense screaming. The band has garnered a passionate following, thanks in large part to lead singer Dan Marsala's signature vocal style and heartfelt lyrics.

Track Listing

1. Choose Your Fate
2. Wake up
3. The Antidote
4. Tell Me
5. Angel In The Swamp
6. The Black Swan
7. Message To The World
8. Apathy Is A Deathwish
9. We're Not Gonna Make It
10. Cannonball
11. Terrified
12. The Pale Blue Dot
13. Welcome To Our New War

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #37168 in Music
• Released on: 2008-04-22
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .23 pounds

Customer Reviews

A step in the right direction
So there's this formula that a lot of bands use, it goes like this.

1.) Breakout album achieves much notice.
2.) Sophomore album tries a bunch of new stuff, which creates new fans but also deters some of the old fans.
3.) Third album takes a step back and satisfies both the new and old fans.

This happens to a lot of bands and it happened to Story of the Year, not that that's a bad thing. This CD basically continues the journey that "In the Wake of Determination" began, while also reflecting on the original roots of the band that lie in "Page Avenue" This is a huge step up from their sophomore release, and it took me a while to figure out why, but I think I finally got it. Whenever I listened to "In the Wake..." I couldn't help but get the impression that the band didn't know where they wanted to take their sound, all they knew is that they didn't want to write another "Page Avenue" So that CD was all over the place in it's effort to get something new.

Almost three years later we get a much more professionally done "In the Wake of Determination" The CD opens up with possibly the rawest display of Dan's vocals ever, but then we transition over and the sound is cleaner, the songs are well constructed, it's not as blunt and 'TURN THE AMP UP TO 11 RAWR!' as its predecessor, which is good. Althogether this album goes down smooth and is a pretty easy listen to a fan of either of the other SOTY albums.

Music wise, it's pretty much the same SOTY. We have the obvious emphasis on guitars and those catchy-as-ever hooks, solos, and breakdowns. The guitars here are just as amazing as ever if you've been following this band since their beginnings, like I have. Again we see the bass being totally ignored (Grrr...), in fact, the only song where I could consciously stop and say "Oh yeah, there's the bass guitar" was "Cannonball" Lyrically, Dan is as brilliant as he has ever been, with lyrics that stretch back to the days of "Page Avenue" when the songs would actually make me ponder my life through that he was saying (Let's face it, with songs like "Meathead" and "We Don't Care Anymore," the lyrics on "In the Wake" were not very good.) I don't hold it against them that they're not 'trying new stuff' but that might have something to do with the fact that I bought "The Bright Lights of America" the same day as this CD.

So yeah, if you liked them before, you'll still like them, if you didn't like them before, you're not gonna like them this time around. This is still the band we know, and in my case, love, and they continue to be the frontrunners in this kind of rock with its obvious metal/punk/alternative/other stuff influences, so if you're into that sort of thing, this is definitely for you. Highlights on the CD are "Choose Your Fate," "Cannonball," maybe "Tell Me," and the best track on the CD in my opinion and best track SOTY has ever written, "Message to the World"

Oh man... and I had intended this to be a short review.

Epitaph takes on Story of the Year
Story of the Year has broken the silence with `The Black Swan', an album finely polished and artistically designed and produced. With Epitaph taking on this album, hit singles are clearly at a loss, but quality is at an all-time high. Story of the Year has become an interesting phenomena in the evolution of post hardcore/emo music. `Page Avenue' was a marketable album and a mainstay on local radios and MTV... Their mainstream success subsided a bit with the release of `In The Wake Of Determination', though still receiving attention with the demands of Maverick records and first single "We Don't Care Anymore." Now, with their third disc, SOTY has chosen to leave the label that has sported the likes of Alanis Morissette, Madonna and the Deftones and become a high profile band on an indie label. In many ways, Story of the Year is taking a step back in order to take a step forward.

I'll be the first to admit that I was skeptical of some of the songs at first. A few of the tracks on the latter half of the album sounded like B-sides from `In The Wake...' The sound was very similar, but the catchiness wasn't as prolific. However, after a couple listens and a peek at the booklet, the album became bigger than what I expected it to be. They aren't straying from what's made them successful, and for that, I give them 4 stars, probably closer to 4 1/2. Lyrically, the album is brilliant. It's a paradox of life and death and vocally showcases the exceptional talent of front man, Dan Marsala.
The one song that has me scratching my head is "Message To The World." It reminds me too much of "Five Against The World", a song that has a fantastic concept but a very simplistic and questionable chorus. That song aside, I guarantee you if you are a fan of their prior music, this album will scratch your itch.

Standout Tracks:
"Choose Your Fate"
"Wake Up"
"The Antidote"
"Tell Me (P.A.C.)"
"Apathy Is A Deathwish"
"Terrified"

I can't compare this disc to 'Page Avenue' because their style and intentions were so different at the time. Musically, I find that it falls just short of 'In The Wake Of Determintion.' However, lyrically, the band has undoubtedly peaked. I think they write some of the most fluent, poetic, heartfelt lyrics you'll find in the music business today, and this album only gives support to my opinion. Those of you looking for an album that you can really connect with and feel the passion in the band, I highly recommend this.

Grade: A-

Fanominal record!
This CD is amazing on many levels. First of all, anyone who was a fan of this band before will only be impressed. They have really stepped it up on this record. The song writing is better than ever, the hooks are catchy, the guitar work is brilliant, and the overall 'theme' of the cd is perfect. For every heavy part of the album there is an equal soft side. They managed a perfect blend of everything. There is def. something for EVERYONE on this cd. If you like HEAVY music - Choose Your Fate; if your looking for something a little calmer and soft - Terrified; Looking for more of the modern radio rock? - We're Not Gonna Make it.

Story Of The Year has this amazing ability to give something new that fits with everything that is going on in music today without blending in with everyone else. My hat is off to the band for this record. I am a die-hard fan and a professional musician, and just from a musical stand point alone; I would have to say I LOVE THIS ALBUM. If your sick of the same crappy music you hear all over the radio and MTV (bands like Seether, Daughtry, and all the c@ck rock bands like Buck Cherry and Hinder and MANY MORE) then this CD is perfect for you.

The production is great and you'll be humming the hooks the second your done listening to the album. Every song on this CD is a hit. I wouldn't take any song off the album, though after listening to the CD you only wish that there were about 47 more songs, unfortunately there aren't. Its great to see a band that is about the musis and not just getting paid. I'm sick of bands putting out the same songs crying about their ex and how they got hurt or whatever, if I want to hear someone whining I'll watch Dr. Phil. So if your gonna spend any money and support a band, why not a band that actually stands for something and does what they do for the love of music? You WILL NOT be dissapointed.