Just a Blog About Me

It looks like Atreyu are hanging out together once again, which could mean the band is indeed considering ending their hiatus. The Curse also happens to turn ten this year. Check out a post from their Facebook page below after the jump.

Related Stories: Atreyu Considering Ending Hiatus 

by Brandon Allin, edited by Erik van Rheenen

It would simply feel foolish to start this review with some sweeping, grandiose declaration of The Other Side’s success, a quote tailor-made for the bottom of a press release or even that shiny little sticker on the album’s shrink wrap. That approach is too cut-and-dry, for this is an album that deserves to be explored further, an achievement in a genre that is all too often devoid of any substance. This is the other side (pun fully intended) of a band once scolded as little but a bubblegum pop-rock outfit, another five-piece clinging to the coattails of their sugary forefathers. This is the result of hard work, maturation, and time, a group of musicians who have paid more than their dues. This is Tonight Alive refocused and retooled, culminating in what is unquestionably the quintet’s most arresting material to date. The first taste of The Other Side is tantalizing, as opener “The Ocean” brilliantly sets the stage for its successors. A slightly darker, moodier number than fans may be accustomed to, “The Ocean” finds firecracker front woman Jenna McDougall detailing the hardships of battling illness on the road. The track feels raw and organic, yet fully fleshed out, a reoccurring theme throughout The Other Side. “Lonely Girl” is a punchy number, its chorus the high point, utilizing brilliantly McDougall’s soaring vocal melodies over a driving backbone. Title track “The Other Side” finds the Sydney-based quartet exploring their softer side, a pop-rock cut that will appeal to fans of both Tonight Alive and Taylor Swift. Full credit to all five comrades, as Tonight Alive are undoubtedly strongest as a unit, but it’s McDougall’s impressive vocal range that carries the song, a character trait the five-piece both rely upon heavily and exercise beautifully. “The Fire” moves along at a breakneck pace clocking in at a shade below three minutes, the bulk of which comprises a number of excellent riffs from lead guitarist Whakaio Taahi.

#1 Florida State Seminoles V. #2 Auburn Tigers