Story of the Year

There was a time when I was all about this band. Like, all about them. I never missed an L.A. show they were on the bill for. I knew all the lyrics to their debut album, Page Avenue, verbatim. “Dive Right In” was my official jam of that time period. I could usually predict with some accuracy the backflips and guitar throws their live show entailed. I was shamelessly devoted. And then everyone else caught on and decided to be all about them as well. And then I subsequently heard “Anthem of Our Dying Day” eleventy-billion times on KROQ. And my youthful interest started to wane. Yeah, even back then, I was that dude, despite the fanboy-ism. I didn’t pay much attention to the two albums that came after, and then surprise, surprise, I found out they’re scheduled to release their fourth studio album early next year. For nostalgia’s sake, I gave their newest song a listen and, much to my dismay, I quite liked it. Still the big-sounding epic guitar rock that has long been the Missouri natives’ signature style, new song “To the Burial” throws back to the band’s old school punk and hardcore influences. More stripped down and raw than some of their previous efforts, if this is what the new album shapes up like, it will be a welcome return to basics. And, honestly, the songs off their first album are as catchy and fun today as they were when I first heard them six years ago. - Brien Overly