This album was on my playlist a long time ago, but I wanted to read what you guys thought about it. I could’ve sworn I saw one and read it, but it’s not there any more. I actually like this album, as do many other people I know. I guess you can classify these guys as nu-metal because there is screaming, and a good amount of it. It’s not exactly metal because there aren’t many solos, which I think defines metal. I actually lost my copy of the CD, which really pissed me off cause the booklet was cool. The lyrics were listed out and you had to open the whole thing to read it because they were typed out across the entire thing. Anyways, here we go.
Story of the Year is:
Dan Marsala: Vocals
Ryan Phillips: Guitar
Phillip Sneed: Guitar
Adam Russell: Bass
Josh Willis: Drums
This album was released on September 16, 2003
1. And the Hero Will Drown (3:17) - Some very distorted and loud guitar starts this one and Dan’s screaming comes in soon. He screams every other line, which adds an interesting tone to it. The chorus is catchy, but short, leaving you hanging and waiting for more. Good drumming by Josh under the power chords by Ryan and Phillip sound good. The bridge includes Dan screaming “HERO” and singing “these words you’ll never know” well. The lyrics are about relationship problems, as is much of the album (Guess it’s too bad that everything we have is taken away). Its catchiness makes it listenable.
3.5/5
2. Until the Day I Die (3:59) – A soft and palm muted guitar starts this off and soft singing is heard. The guitars then kick in with short and simple power chords, and then it goes back to the beginning riff and singing. The lyrics are again about the relationship, saying “Until the day I die, I’d spill my heart for you.” I actually forgot these guys were nu-metal because there was no screaming yet, at least until the post chorus/bridge at 2:18. They break it down, with Dan screaming “I’d spill/ my heart/ for you.” He pretty much repeats the chorus over and over and over through the rest of the song, which gets old. A nice drum roll near the end by Josh. Still love those drums.
3/5
3. Anthem of our Dying Day (3:40) – OK, I saw this on MTV, which introduced me to this band. The video is kinda dark, with flying black birds (crows?). The song is dark too (the stars will cry the blackest tears tonight). Fast drumming on the high-hat by Josh is nice, and the drums are solid throughout. The chorus is very catchy, with decent lyrics. The relationship is apparently getting worse (I’d scream this song right in your face if you were here) and that was a little awkward to hear. The bridge features Dan’s screaming again (of our dying day!!!!!!). Once again, the chorus is repeated to end the song, but I didn’t realize because they sang it differently every time, better in my opinion. Best song so far.
4/5
4. In the Shadows (3:37) – This time, Dan screams to start it off which caught me by surprise, as the last two songs didn’t scream until the bridge. The chorus here is very good with the “Whoa” in the beginning. The screaming continues in the second verse, and I don’t like that much screaming cause I don’t know what they say. Nonetheless, the chorus makes me forget it and let it go. Now, this part kicks major ass. At the 2:33 mark, Dan screams some random word (YEAH!!! or something?) then screams with a closed fist over and over. At the 2:52 mark, it completely clears out, leaving the chant “Whoa, in the shadows of our live, we can fall into the night unscarred.” Backing vocals and drums are solid over the power chords by the guitars. The outro features some more screaming. Great song.
4.5/5
5. Dive Right In (3:19) – at the start, this sounds like a ballad with some really soft guitar playing a sweet riff. Then Josh hits the snare and it starts blasting with palm muted guitar over a short riff. I guess he’s screwed now, with “And I know I’m buried too far down/
To feel the warmth from the sun again/ I could wave my arms and swim away/But never reach the shore/ But for now I will lay face first in the sand/ with the wreckage from ships that lost their way.” There isn’t much screaming in this song though, and once again the chorus is repeated to end the song. Decent song, weakest so far.
2.5/5
6. Swallow the Knife (3:40) – everything is distorted here, the vocals and guitar. Dan’s singing is calm but with a sense of urgency, saying these catchy lyrics:
So our open wounds will bleed
Until our veins run dry
Now we have to take this thorn
And tear it from our side
Agitated at the fault line
Still agree to disagree
You're connected to the heart
But tonight we'll set you free
I guess his relationship isn’t getting much better. Drums only play the snare to start, which I like. Dan shows his range, singing higher notes but still hitting them with good accuracy. Basic drum beat, over some more power chords are average. They repeat “Now our hands are tied/ The problems lie within/ So we pray for night/ To start over again” over and over, and it’s not even the end! However, the bridge comes in quickly with a catchy sense to it, which makes up for some of it. They repeat the same line over again as they did before. Nothing too special here.
2.5/5
7. Burning Years (3:11) – I really like this song. A guitar riff starts it off with a nice drum beat. Dan screams/sings the verse (kinda screaming but then stops and sings.) I love the chorus and its nice lyrics “I think that nothing can fly with this broken wing/ There's so much to hold onto now/ Nothing can fly with this broken wing/ so here's a gift, in this feather.” He immediately starts the next verse and obviously screams, but then backs off and sings afterward. I really like the drums on this song, unpredictable and really catchy as hell. The bridge is, all I can say, fantastic.
From this house of our friendship, shut the door and light the match.
Throw behind you, walk away. (You burn it down, you burn it down!)
(They change keys here, going a little higher, making all the better)
These ashes
These ashes
These ashes burn!!
Although they repeat the chorus (again) at the end, I can’t care less, this song is a masterpiece. And it doesn't sound bad at all either.
5/5
8. Page Avenue (3:41) – it’s either this song or the previous (Burning Years) that is my favorite off the album. As you can see, this is the title track, but I don’t know what Page Avenue means so I won’t describe it. There actually isn’t anything different here, but somehow they make it work. Fast fingering by Ryan starts it off and the drums provide, again, a catchy and steady beat. The lyrics in the verses don’t rhyme at all, but it works. The chorus is catchy, but the other choruses are too. Dan doesn’t really show his ability at all, singing with actually a pretty bored voice. It’s not bad by any means; it is still in tune and sounds fine, just not as strong as usual. That completely changes at the bridge. He bellows out “I faaall apart as time passes by/ I faaaall apart but the memories never die,” making everything else before this a memory. That part is fantastic, really makes this song worthwhile to listen to.
4/5
9. Sidewalks (3:38) – I actually don’t listen to these last four songs, but I can’t just leave them out so I will review them. It’s not that they’re bad; I just never got around there. Anyway, this song starts off very softly with Dan singing some high notes. It’s actually catchy, with soft (distorted?) drums, but it never gets very loud until the second chorus, and even then it’s not very loud at all. The bridge starts before the two minute mark, which is early and different from the rest of the album. I guess this is a ballad. There are violins, which is very interesting. They actually sound very good and really fit in with the song, providing a sweet sound and good melody. The power chords kick in to full gear at the 3 minute mark and lasts about five seconds, with the violin under them. This ends with...bongos? It sounds kinda cool. Actually, this is a good song. I can’t believe I missed this one, seemingly the quietest song on the album; it is good.
3.5/5
10. Divide and Conquer (3:08) – I don’t think I’ve ever listened to this song. It doesn’t sound familiar at all... Anyway, Dan screams, I think for the first time in a couple of songs, seemingly desperate for a couple of lines to start it. The chorus is a repeated line over and over. The guitars work fast in between the lines. It’s decently catchy, but it’s not that great. No wonder this doesn’t sound familiar.
2/5
11. Razorblades (3:26) – the song starts soft, then Dan sings “yeah” over some power chords, and gets quiet again. Right away I get slightly bored of this, cause it isn’t anything special. The material is getting kinda old, same pattern (verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, chorus, chorus, chorus...). By the way, this is “the end.”
This wasted so many nights and again
I've wasted so much time on a friend
Too young, too proud to understand
So this is the end
Yeah, this is the end!
2/5
12. Falling Down (3:58) – the final song on the album, and they put some extra features at the end. The start of the song is dark, with one chord every couple of seconds. Then it starts to rock with Dan slightly screaming. He’s actually singing a bit off beat, or maybe it’s the drums. The chorus is kind of like an anthem, and it’s pretty catchy. They say “I stand alone, I’m on my own” (the chorus) over and over to end it, which has become a reoccurring theme on the album. I gotta admit, they break it down after that, and it's catchy with the power chords and toms, but then it ends. Short song (not track, song is about 2:08).
2.5/5
As for the extra stuff, it’s pretty much rubbish, but it’s funny. They’re in the studio playing around with some machine that changes their voice to a robot like voice. The first time they said it, it was kinda unclear and I only heard part of it. The second time I was laughing my ass off (“What do you know about the leafy balls are sexy). I was like...what the hell? And that’s pretty much the rest of the track, hehe.
Best Songs:
Anthem of our Dying Day
In the Shadows
Burning Years
Page Avenue
Overall Album Rating: 3.25/5
Well this is my second review. The album is good to great (3-3.5, exactly in the middle so it’s hard to decide) I’d give it 3.5 because I think it’s better than a 3. Please leave positive or negative comments, constructive criticism etc. This is a good band, try some of their songs. Please rate!
