Review Summary: Not known by many people, “A Not So Tragic Cover Up” was Chasing Victory's first release back in 2004.
Not known by many people, “A Not So Tragic Cover Up” was Chasing Victory's first release back in 2004. Many who fell in love with 2005's “I Call This Abandonment” will be surprised to hear what this group sounded like just a little over a year earlier.
I happened to first hear Chasing Victory on a sampler that I purchased from a local Christian music retailer in 2004. The song on the sampler, “Come Between Everything,” caught my attention. I further researched this no-name band and found that they had a 5 song EP titled, “A Not So Tragic Cover Up.” Being a poor college student, the $5 I paid at smartpunk.com seemed like a bargain for some new music. I was not disappointed.
Even though these guys looked like a bunch of seniors in high school, they had a great sound. The recording was a little rough, but it was one of the first recordings on then brand new Mono vs. Stereo Records. The guitars were distorted and loud, the drums were solid and a younger Adam Harrell's vocals were a great cross between emo teen and aspiring screamer.
The vocals in this early release showed a maturity that few bands have so early on. In the song “Come Between Everything,” Harrell sings:
“The ties that bind our hands are on our necks and we're strangling for our final breath.
we pass the torch along to our kids;
we're burning there minds, but we can't touch their hearts.”
This speaks a huge truth with many youth today. This album also expresses these guys' faith in Jesus Christ (something they don't show as much in their newer albums). The title “Step into the Light” is packed with their faith:
“There's blood on my hands and there's blood on the ground and we're dying just to see who the next victim of our disaster will be. If only you would just accept Him. We'll never be alive until we open up our eyes. Step into the light.”
Overall, this EP is worth adding to your collection. These guys have come a long way musically since, but if you can find this album, give it a listen. I looked on Amazon.com and found 2 copies for under $10.
