One Shot Left(Vocalist/Guitarist Jeff Barrett, Bassist Justin Brown, Guitarist/Backup vocalist Blair Cooney, and Drummer Chad Schebelbien) started in high school, and made a name for themselves by putting their high tempo, upbeat punk rock music on numerous small time compilations. Their record label, Meter Records, also is the home of a tight knit community of bands, all searching for their big break.
This record is their best to date. They started out with a more raw, thrashy punk feel, then moved into a more punk rock state, which not only forced them to write better, catchier songs, but allowed them to broaden their sound and expand their fanbase. Their first full length (Something To be Reckoned With) was a very good album. If it wasn't enough to get them noticed, then this one certainly is.
The album starts out with 'The Night Falls (On Wicked Little Ninjas)' which opens with a quiet but intricate guitar part. It then quickens in pace, which is acommon quality with a lot of their music. The passion, precision, and power. It just sounds so good, that you never want to stop listening. This song also captured the quality of vocalist Jeff Barrett's voice.
We then move on to 'This is the New Rock' which is exactly that. A rock song more than a punk song, this one definitely is catchy, and is a very good song live.
'Follow me My Wicked Son' is another great track. It starts out with another intricate guitar riff and gets back to a more old school OSL sound. This one gets the heart racing and sounds darker than most of the other ones on this album while still having a sound of hope and its a song that captures a ton of energy at shows.
'Confessions of a Gravedigger' is a very interesting song. This song also captured the lyrical talent that the band has. It shows passion, while adding a creative touch to make a very well rounded song. It even has a little bit of a guitar solo near the end. Also, their is a great change in pace near the end when they start a whole new riff, and sing: Hold my hand, firmly to the ground, stop my eyes from bleeding, burning out the sound. This song portrays how mature their songwriting is and is a prime example of why they have such a loyal fanbase in Alberta.
Now we proceed to 'Under Lock and Key" which is another classic. Starts out with a spastic yet intricate riff, which magically turns into another brilliant song layout, and another song that is incredibly passionate live. The ending riffs in this song are as brilliant as they are catchy and have first time listeners in disbeleif.
'Amy Grey' starts out with a more raw punk feel and an older OSL sound. It quickly moves into a fast paced punk rock song and grows into an intelligently crafted song. This political song was written by the backup vocalist Blair Cooney, and sung by him as well. Just another example of the maturity, diversity and creativity of this local band.
Now we move on to the Fan Favorite. 'Fire in The Sky' is a brilliant scheme of passion, aggression, speed, and power. The beginning riff leads into a powerful part that gets you moving, and then transitions into a good display of vocals and lyrical talent as well. The chorus is extremely catchy,as they all are, but has a bigger, more dynamic sound that forces listeners to sing along.
'Broken Soldier' is one of the best written and executed songs on the album. It starts out with a chugging guitar riff and a great drum part. The vocals of Jeff really set this one off along with the drumming from Chad. The chorus is extremely passionate, and is extremely catchy once again, in typical OSL fashion.
'To Kill A Sunrise' starts out with a very happy sounding riff, but gets into a more calmer steady sound. This chorus starts out with almost a scream coming from Jeff, and it gives it a more raw sound which is another pleasant surprise for newer and longtime listeners alike.
'The Journey' is the perfect song to close up this album. A hollow guitar part introduces this tune and the song slowly ascends and grows into a sprawling arrangement of guitars, drums and vocals. This song catches you off guard, it is a very good song that is another tune that is very catchy and is the product of hard work, relentless touring and longtime commitment to their commone goal;making the best music possible. With meaningful lyrics, passionate arrange of instruments, and a quality set of vocals, this song proves to be one of the best songs on the album, even though it is a very different pace/sound from the band.
Even though they are a punk rock band, I am a metalhead at heart and I still love these guys. I believe that their music is almost universal, and can appeal to lovers of many different genres, and well, they put on one hell of a live show. I highly reccommend that you check these guys out...it would be the best 15 bucks you will hve spent in a long time.
go on amazon.com and you can preview the whole album
