Review Summary: Six more songs make a great addition to this already fantastic album.
In November of 2007 Senses Fail re-released their second LP, Still Searching, with six bonus tracks. I'm not going to go into a full review of Still Searching, suffice it to say, that I think it is a great buy for any fan of pop-punk/screamo. Senses Fail is, in my opinion, one of the only bands left that can pull off screamo with any sort of creativity and credibility. They're not reinventing the wheel, but this time around the musicianship has improved with the addition of Heath Saraceno, the former guitarist for Midtown. In addition, Buddy has ditched the lyrics about murdering past lovers in favor of more introspective content - a welcome development.
Normally, I'm not a fan of re-issues, as they typically contain only one or two additonal songs, but this one is essential if you liked Still Searching or have any interest in Senses Fail. Simply put, 4 of the 6 new songs are home-runs, with the other 2 being pretty good.
Battle Hymn begins with a really metallic riff and ends with some awesome screaming. Think the energy level of Shark Attack and you'll get a feeling for what this one sounds like. Champagne chills it out a little bit, but really only because of the lack of screaming. It is still a very dynamic song, and the chorus shines as Heath provides backing vocals. Heath has been a great addition for Senses Fail, not only becuase he has added some awesome guitar solos to their songs, but also because he adds great backup vocals to Buddy's distinctive voice. On most of the songs on this release, his contributions really add new dimension to the songs.
Stretch Your Legs To Coffin Length continues the winning formula, with a sparse verse and some delay on the guitar that explodes into a chorus where Buddy screams:
"Goddamn! This whole mess that's me. I don't trust myself! I'm in way to deep. And every night I erase the day with the strongest drinks they'll give to me."
The highlight for me is Mason's Revenge. This song is slower and the lyrics are clearly about lost love, but it doensn't come off as cheesy or formulaic in any way, and you really feel the emotion in the song. Whereas I think Lost And Found failed at this feat, Masons's Revenge unquestionably succeeds.
The last two songs are nice additions, just nothing special. Cinco De Mayo is standard Senses Fail-style pop-punk, and the cover of The Cranberries' Salvation is what you'd expect - a speeded up, punkier version of the song.
If you haven't bought Still Searching yet, buy this edition for sure. If you already own the album, I highly suggest downloading these songs or if you're a diehard fan, buying the re-issue.
