| | Full Review | Ratings (441) |
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| 4.5 superb | DaveyBoy EMERITUS | September 17th 09 |
While their debut LP seemed too compromised, Story of the Year just do what they enjoy on follow-up 'In The Wake of Determination'. With a greater reliance on the dual guitar attack of Ryan Phillips & Philip Sneed, the genre of choice here appears to be hard-rock, with a lashing of punk through Sneed's backing vocals. While heavier than its predecessor, the most impressive aspect of the album is its ability to remain so melodic, with many anthemically catchy vocal hooks. So check your head at the door & have a fun, hard-rocking time. Recommended Tracks: We Don't Care Anymore, Five Against The World, Take Me Back, Taste The Poison & Sleep.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 3.5 great | bobafe6604 | August 6th 07 |
In the Wake of Determination is an interesting album indeed. After much commercial success with Page Avenue, SOTY decided to cut ties with their former producer and make an album strictly to their taste. What emgered was a mix of pop-punk vocals, old school(ish) riffs, and straight up drumming; a very nice album indeed, but not without its flaws. Yes, sometimes the lyrics suck, and some songs seem to just not go anywhere sometimes; but there is no denying that there is some good shit on this album. If you want to hear a band that is tired of the 'scene', check out this album.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 3.0 good | Barksdale | October 26th 22 |
Best Tracks: Take Me Back, Taste the Poison, Stereo, Meathead, Is This My Fate? (He Asked Them).
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| 3.5 great | IAmKickass | April 14th 11 |
A little more energy and an obvious sign of maturing work out great for Story of the Year as their second album not only tops the first, but shows signs for an excellent future for the band.
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| 4.0 excellent | AlexTM510 | March 3rd 10 |
When your music is classified as one tree hill material, you get in a feud with Godsmack, and then get sued, it'll sure bring out being pissed of and what not-at least to SOTY. All of this contributes to In The Wake Of Determination-that not only is a change against the innocence of Page Avenue-but almost like a total assaulting resistance to the record. The guitars are much more beefier and and brutal in addition to the entire band removing most of the pop-punk energy for a more hardcore punk and at times metal vibe (with virtuosic solos) to SOTY.
But in the end-this is a very natural progression for SOTY. And ultimately this heavier progression makes complete sense. However there is a slightly reckless ambition this album flows on but the band shockingly uses that to their advantage. The heaviest numbers here truly show their strength of balancing aggressive attacks and super sweet harmonies provided (Meathead, Pay Your Enemy, Is This My Fate). And in all this accumulating SOTY's INWOD being their best album to date.
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| 4.0 excellent | AmericnZero02 | August 20th 07 |
Determination was a huge step away from Page Avenue for SOTY. While the catchy choruses remained, Ryan Phillips and Phil Sneed introduced a completely new element to Story of the Year's music. The heavy riffs like that in "Our Time is Now" and face-melting solos like the one in "Taste the Poison" made In the Wake of Determination one of the biggest surprises of 2005. The quick adaptation of chugging guitars and heavily screamed songs proves Story of the Year's sophomore album to be a headbanging, sing-along, rock rollercoaster.
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| 3.5 great | elry2k | March 6th 24 |
| 3.5 great | Halez | May 31st 23 |
| 3.0 good | altmjw | October 8th 22 |
| 3.0 good | Matty CONTRIBUTOR | June 17th 22 |
| 2.5 average | Get Low | February 4th 22 |
| 3.5 great | Hehe | December 15th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | sfoat9 | July 2nd 20 |
| 3.0 good | Skidz | December 22nd 19 |
| 3.0 good | Adamn | May 8th 19 |
| 2.0 poor | jw | November 5th 18 |
| 3.5 great | MrNoob | September 19th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | Dylan | May 24th 17 |
| 3.5 great | SB129 | May 16th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Ribwich | November 23rd 15 |
| 2.5 average | slaps | March 20th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | MaggieG | August 6th 14 |
| 3.5 great | Sebe | February 2nd 14 |
| 2.0 poor | zmol | July 15th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | Avirex | June 16th 13 |
| 3.0 good | jmh886 | February 15th 13 |
| 3.0 good | kvasha | February 7th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | drz89 | January 26th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | Majo911 | January 2nd 13 |
| 2.5 average | Lenix | December 31st 12 |
| 3.5 great | ZoneOut | December 12th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | Ecnalzen | September 14th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | caitanya | September 5th 12 |
| 3.5 great | RobH | August 7th 12 |
| 3.0 good | Kaz64 | July 9th 12 |
| 3.0 good | Xyrnos | March 18th 12 |
| 3.5 great | vinceG | March 12th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | bain89 | March 10th 12 |
| 3.5 great | cb123 | February 5th 12 |
| 3.0 good | mrnic3 | January 13th 12 |
| 3.5 great | Pndi | December 28th 11 |
| 3.5 great | Drpibb | December 17th 11 |
| 2.0 poor | Daedus | October 9th 11 |
| 3.5 great | Zunge | September 8th 11 |
| 3.0 good | benkim | September 7th 11 |
| 3.5 great | Cryio | August 23rd 11 |
| 3.5 great | Trey STAFF | July 15th 11 |
| 2.5 average | Curse. | July 1st 11 |
| 3.5 great | bc013 | June 9th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | sturta | June 8th 11 |
| 4.5 superb | mullo | March 29th 11 |
| 3.5 great | NateT | January 30th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | rreddrop | December 22nd 10 |
| 3.5 great | CutMan | October 5th 10 |
| 3.0 good | wy2sl0 | September 23rd 10 |
| 3.5 great | nyc87 | September 22nd 10 |
| 2.5 average | Texture | September 12th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | dgrona | August 9th 10 |
| 3.5 great | Mace | June 14th 10 |
| 3.5 great | Exxor | May 12th 10 |
| 3.5 great | gonzab | April 25th 10 |
| 2.5 average | musick | March 27th 10 |
| 3.5 great | ABR157 | February 26th 10 |
| 2.5 average | Jordish | February 24th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | jatts7 | February 15th 10 |
| 3.5 great | Sylosia | February 10th 10 |
| 3.5 great | Jips | February 8th 10 |
| 3.0 good | mezz85 | October 8th 09 |
| 3.0 good | X3ni92 | September 29th 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | cia | August 19th 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | DaMorg3 | July 22nd 09 |
| 3.5 great | zuzek | May 2nd 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | CxLTxN | December 3rd 08 |
| 2.5 average | btbam99 | October 30th 08 |
| 4.0 excellent | daniel58 | September 16th 08 |
| 2.5 average | Sconza | September 5th 08 |
| 4.0 excellent | Abdar112 | December 20th 07 |
| 1.0 awful | donovr | December 18th 07 |
| 2.0 poor | Msuen | December 16th 07 |
| 2.0 poor | tuk | October 6th 07 |
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