This will be a very biased review, but I just can't help myself. Story Of The Year is one of the most defining band of my adolescence. From the moment I heard them I was enamored with the power and energy that they brought to their performance, and Page Avenue, their debut album is one of the few records from that time period that I still listen to religiously, even now. I'll sing my heart out unashamedly in my truck as I drive through town, and all of the songs within that little disc flood my brain with numbing nostalgia and memories.
So, when I found out they were creating their first album together in 7 years, I was thrilled, and slightly afraid. It's always an anxious experience hearing that an artist you hold so dearly is making a new record after a long hiatus. Will it be different? Obviously both you and they have aged extensively in this time period. You simply can't expect a person or a group of people to be the same as they were over 10 years ago, but it is hard to shake those notions. As humans, we put things into little boxes, and we expect those boxes to remain in tact for the entirety of our lives, but that is a short coming of us and our boxes, not of the things, people or places we try to shove into them. However, much to my delight, Story Of The Year does still fit in my little boxes.
They are however, not exactly the same. The energy and passion is still there, but the message is different. It's like meeting an old friend that you haven't seen for a long time. You notice how they might look a little older, maybe time has made their expression seem a little heavier than you remember, but when you look into their eyes, the fire, the passion, and everything you loved about them is still there. Suddenly, the apprehension is gone, and you give them a long hug and welcome them back into your life, demanding that they never leave you again.
I think that the band members themselves feel the same way about this album. The entire feel of it seems as if its reflecting on their glory days, but they aren't ready to give up. It's a brand new day, and they are still here. They are still alive. The artwork has an 80's retro vibe, which I love. They put a lot of time and effort into helping you to really feel the album, and I look forward to getting my vinyl copy of the record, so I can truly appreciate it in its full glory. In a digital world, it seems things are disposable. They fail to evoke the same emotion as a physical album that you can hold in your hands. Music is not just about sound. It's an experience. You can touch it, and it touches you. Wolves is very much about that experience.
As I hit play, the record immediately explodes into motion in typical Story Of The Year fashion, and my brain bubbles fondly, as the familiar voices and guitar riffs fill my ears. While their genre is no longer as popular as it used to be, they do not bend to the wills of time. Instead, they are themselves, the only thing that they really know how to be. Something that's very difficult to do when your ability to live and eat depends on popular opinion. In the case of Story Of The Year, it seems they may have found out that the majority does not control everything. This record was crowd funded, and SOTY fans let it be known that they are still here, popularity be damned.
As Bang Bang comes on, the first music video for the project, they embellish this to an almost ridiculous degree, but I appreciate every minute of it, delighting in the cinematography orchestrated by guitarist Ryan Phillips, who is apparently responsible for much, or even all of the delightful graphics, photography and video content for the record. Long time fans will also notice some familiar choreography taken from other Story Of The Year videos.
Promise me you'll give me one last kiss before I go."
While at first, I didn't actually care for this particular song for whatever reason, now I catch myself singing it without even realizing it. I can now see why they chose it for the single. Watching the video allows you to quickly embrace what was so great about them in the first place. High energy shows chocked full of music with relate able songs.
While the subject matter of the first album was much about that teenage desire to leave their home town, this album is more about the issues faced by growing older. Maybe even realizing that your prime might be coming to an end, which anyone that comes to this part of their life might start feeling. I find myself doing the same, but when your mid-life crisis hits you like a truck Story of the Year is here for you at least.
This is one of my favorite songs on the album. Story of The Year has always been able to place more emotional songs right next to high energy anthems, and Wolves is no exception.
I'm in love with this track right here. This is the epitome of Story of The Year, and I think it might be the best representation of not only Wolves, but the band as a whole. If you're not much for singles, then this song might be more for you, or for anyone who may be reminiscing on days gone by.
Wolves is likely to be my favorite album of the year, and while this review is a tad belated, I am no less excited for its existence, and I hope to catch them in concert again sometime soon. I was distraught to find out that they were on the Warped Rewind cruise, and I missed it. I guess I'll just have to keep checking the calendar, and hope they make it my way again. Overall, Wolves is an excellent album, and while I love everything about it, I can't decide if it tops Page Avenue for me. I guess I'll have to call it a draw.