ARE YOU LISTENING?! My Top 10 Emery songs

There are bands that seem to stand the test of time and chug along and continue to crank out great jams time and time again. And in my opinion, no one does this better than the dudes in Emery. Their career spans over 15 years with 8 albums and countless EP's and they steadily toured year in and year out. As they have gotten older their sound has changed but the music they put out is still some of the best out there. What makes Emery so great is that their music really has a very diverse range and sound. They have songs that will make you want to punch dance out your rage and songs that will have you moved to tears from the emotions the song stirs up within you. So with that, here are my 10 favorite Emery songs of all time!

10.) Edge of the World 

This song comes in strong with singer/bass player Devin Shelton and guitar riff that sets the pace for how the song is going to go. Vocals from Josh Head come in and complement Shelton perfectly through out the whole song. In the middle of the song the band strips down the song just to Head screaming a few strums of the guitar and their drummer Dave Powell playing a simple beat that you can't help but get nod your head to while listening. The song then takes a calmer turn and before coming back hard before it ends with overlay of lyrics from both Shelton and Head. 

9.) The Cheval Glass

Wow. This song is one of the heaviest songs that the band has written if not the heaviest. It is the first song on their album We Do What We Want and it sets the pace for the album with a punch in the face. I admit it took me way to long to hear this song but once I did it became one of my favorites in a heartbeat. This song really shows the range that Emery can do musically bringing in brutal breakdowns with soft yet powerful singing from lead singer Toby Morell. As soon as you recover from the face punch in the beginning of the song, Emery comes back with brutal right hook of a breakdown to end the song. 

8.) The Party Song 

The title of this song pretty much sets the stage for this song. It is a really fun song to listen and belt out singing a the top of your lungs. It comes from their album I Am Only A Man which as a whole was not very welcomed, but there are some solid songs on it with The Party Song leading the way. The chorus is one of those that gets you in an upbeat mood to dance and sing it out. They do a great job of alternating singing between Shelton and Morell and shows just how dynamic they are and how well the complement each other in the band. It is on the more "poppy" side of the spectrum for the band and just a fun song to listen to. 

7.) So Cold I Could See My Breathe 

The first track of their album call The Question comes in the number 7 spot for me and it goes on a roller coaster of a ride. With probably the most recognizable guitar intro guitarist Matt Carter has ever written starting off the song, then Morell coming in with his angelic voice, back to a face paced chorus takes you on a fun ride. The verses have a very chill vibe with the bridge bringing back up the energy. Every time I have seen the band play they have played this song and it is always a crowd favorite. The last time I saw Emery play, Morell forget the lyrics to this song and provided a big laugh for everyone in the crowd. Great song from beginning to end. 

6.) The Ponytail Parades 

The post about this song is dedicated to my middle school girlfriend who broke my heart. This is a break up song down to its core and hits you right in the feels from beginning to end. You can almost feel the hurt in Morell's voice has he sings the lyrics. The lyrics mixed with the instrumentals make for a gut wrenching emotional response and complement each other incredibly well. It's a mellow song and the band does a great job at bringing out and communicating the pain of a break up.  The acoustic version of the song is beautifully done and almost rivals the original version, because breakup songs sound better done acoustically. This song will always hold a place in the heart of 13 year old Adam. 

 5.) Can't Stop The Killer

Emery does a good balance of writing songs that are written to communicate a story or to communicate how their personal feelings. This song really highlights how good of story telling they can be with a three and a half minute song. The title says what the song is about so I will let you listen to it so you can get lost in the story with no spoilers. The song a little different from most Emery songs with a little techno stuff in it that adds to the eerie feeling for the song. Shelton takes the lead for the vocals and is the driving force for the song and story as a whole.  

4.) The Less You Say 

The Less You Say comes from their album titled You Were Never Alone. What is unique about this album from all the other albums they have put out is that every song is based from the Bible. This song is about a conversation that *might* have taken place between Peter and Jesus before he goes to the cross. The chorus is Peter pleading and telling Jesus the you need to leave not knowing why Jesus needs to go to the cross. This conversation is not recorded in the Bible but I can't help but think that Jesus had many conversations like this leading up to his death. Lyrically it's great and the music combined with it makes it a thought provoking and powerful song.  

3.) Studying Politics 

This song is without a doubt the most popular song of their album The Question. It is an energetic song that starts slow with the full band coming in with the start of the chorus. This song does a great job of showing how musically talented the band really is. The song ebbs and flows and really helps with the structure of the song and makes it one you sing a long while in the car. I saw them play this song in a small intimate acoustic show here in Dallas and a fan in the crowd was arguing with the band about the meaning of the song. The guy was saying the song is about sales and marketing and would not accept that it was not about that at all. He looked really dumb. Give the song a listen and decipher for yourself. 

2.) Walls

Walls is the biggest hit that Emery has put out. It was the first song that I ever heard from Emery and I was instantly hooked as soon I heard Morell screaming the opening line (which is where this post gets its name). Every time I hear this song I just get so AMPED and when they play it live everyone goes absolutely bananas. This song has my favorite lyric from the band with, "These knuckles break before they bleed" which just adds to the feeling this songs bring out in me. The song starts with a kick in the face and ends with a kick in face. As the band has said, "Walls will be played at our funerals." 

1.) The Butchers Mouth 

When I first heard this song it instantly became my favorite Emery song. The song comes in with an epic guitar riff and the shredding does not stop. The chorus comes in with high notes laid over screaming then back to shredding for the second verse. The song ends with a breakdown and an angelic like choir song part right back into chugs of the guitar. I saw them perform this song for the first time earlier this year and I absolutely lost it. Seeing a band you really like perform your favorite song by them is a great experience to have. It also brings in elements of the songs listed before it and gives people a good idea of the overall sound of Emery. 

There are so many great songs that Emery have in their catalog and it was so difficult to pick 10 as my favorites I went back and fourth many times and added and subtracted songs to the list before I landed with these. Give them a listen and let me know what you think! 

#CurrentlyTrending

It has been a crazy month and half but I am back! Since the last post Oh, Sleeper and As Cities Burn have released their respected long awaited albums. Underoath even released a new track titled Loneliness, Anberlin went back on tour and absolutely KILLED IT, and I have been listening to a lot of good music. Here are is what I have been listening to over the last month.

Cities - Anberlin 

Ever since I saw Anberlin on their comeback tour I have been listening to them non-stop. The album I am listening to the most, Cities. It was their third album released on Tooth & Nail and followed up my favorite album by them Never Take Friendship Personal. Admittedly, before the tour the only song I really listed to from the album was 'Godspeed' but there are plenty more great songs on this album. It is a great album with deep lyrics with slow songs as well as songs that will get you pumped and moving.  The album starts off with a punch in the face with 'Godspeed' and ends with an acoustic guitar led finale in '(*Fin)'. I am shocked it took me this long to get into this album, don't make the same mistake! 

Bloodied / Unbowed - Oh, Sleeper

This album...worth the 8 year wait. Bloodied / Unbowed is the long awaited album from Oh, Sleeper and it exceeded all expectations. It has everything I was wanting and so much more. The lead off track 'Let It Wave' is a great track to start off the album with and the album builds off the momentum that the songs brings. The album comes after the band went on a hiatus with singer and lead guitarist, Shane Blay, joining the guys in As I Lay Dying and forming the band Wovenwar. This album is a metaphor for the band "breaking up" in a sense then coming back together. It has the theme of a crew on a ship over throws their captain in a mutiny not realizing what they had. A metaphor for the time during their time away. This album has everything you would want in an OS album, especially after waiting 8 years. I am excited to see them perform some of these songs when they hit the road later this summer! 

From A Chemists Point Of View - Empty 

This is a new band that I was just exposed to this week. They are a young band that have just signed to Solid State and have only released an EP with the record label. The title track 'From A Chemists Point of View' really impressed me and has one of the most brutal breakdowns I have heard in awhile. It sneaks up on you when you don't expect it and hits you HARD. I am anxious to see what is next for this band. In my opinion they have a high ceiling and the future is bright for them. 

The Summer of Music: Albums and Concerts I Am Pumped About!

Summer 2019 has A LOT to be excited about and I could not be more pumped for what’s coming over the next three months.  A lot of the excitement for this summer comes from bands that I have been listening to since high school. So the nostalgia will definitely be there. Here the releases and tours I am excited about for this summer! 

Concerts 

Anberlin North American Tour: 

Anberlin is back!!! After calling it quits and going on a “farewell” tour, Anberlin is back 5 years later heading out all over the world. I have never seen Anberlin live and could not be more pumped to finally see them in concert. They have produced one of my favorite albums of all time, you can read about it here, and I am beyond ready to see them play some of those songs live. They are bringing along I The Mighty, I have never seen them live but really like their music as well. Their first stop on the tour is here in Dallas so it’ll sure to be a show full of energy and excitement. 

Lil Wayne and Blink 182: 

This is as close to a dream concert for me as there can be. Blink 182 and Lil Wayne are two bucket list concerts for me and they are going on tour together this summer! They announced the tour by doing a live mash-up of A Mili and Whats My Age Again? together, which was the perfect way to announce the tour and gets the imagination going on possible joint performances we will see on the tour. High School Adam could not be more pumped about this tour. As soon as I saw it was for real and not a dream, I bought tickets. They are brining along the pop punk giants in Neck Deep with them, which just got me even more excited for the show. There has not been a show that has filled me with more anticipation than this one.

Albums

Screaming Through The Walls - As Cities Burn 

It has been 10 years since As Cities Burn has released music and almost 14 years since their first release. Screaming Through The Walls comes out on June 7th and will feature their original vocalist, TJ Bonnette. Bonnette left the band shortly before they started writing and recording their second album, Come Now Sleep and is now back in the band. They have done some tours which could be a big factor in the making of this album. They have released 3 singles from this album, Chains, Hollowed Out, 2020 AD and they are all solid sounding songs. The band signed to Equal Vision Records and is their first album to not be released via Solid State Records.  Fans of the band have been waiting a long time for this album and it has the feeling that it is the album that should have followed up Son, I Loved You At Your Darkest. 

Bloodied/Unbowed - Oh, Sleeper

There is probably not an album I am more excited for this summer than this one from Oh, Sleeper. After Children Of Fire came out in 2011 OS has not really done much musically. They released one EP between then and now and have still played shows off and on. They are one of my favorite bands and have put out one of my favorite albums (click here) and fans of this band have been waiting for a long time for a new full length album. Micah Kinard and Shane Blay went on the Bad Christian podcast and talked about how they broke up for a little bit and ultimately what brought them back to writing and releasing a new album 8 years in the making. The singles they have released, Decimation & Burial and Fissure, bring the heat with that classic OS sound. Blay screams in these songs as well, which is something we have not heard in OS songs. They are brutal and hit hard, which is what you would expect from them. I am ready for head bang and shred the air guitar to this album. The album drops via Solid State Records on July 12th.

Eclipse - Wolves At The Gate 

This is the fourth album from the Wolves At The Gate and if history repeats itself it will be another solid album from the Ohio band. Eclipse will be the first time the band has had the same lineup writing the album as the album before it. They have had a different drummer for every release up until this album. The two singles they have released, The Cure and A Voice in the Violence, just might be the best singles they have released from a musical perspective. They have what you would expect from WATG and is some of the heaviest stuff they've written. WATG have never disappointed with an album and when this one comes out on July 26th it will be no different. 

New Music From Issues!!

New Music From Issues!!

IT IS FINALLY HERE PEOPLE! We have new music from Issues for the first time in over 3 years. This is the first single since their sophomore release Headspace and the first time we are hearing the band without founding member and vocalist, Michael Bohn. When the band announced that they were parting ways with Bohn they seemed to kind of go away for a little bit. Only playing a handful of shows and not releasing any music during that time. Us fans have been anxiously waiting for this single and I have mixed feelings about it. 

Issues came on to the scene releasing two full albums and an EP with Michael Bohn. Then it seemed out of nowhere that the band announced that they were parting ways with Bohn. The band had two vocalists Tyler Carter, who does the clean vocals and has an absolutely incredible voice, and Bohn, who did all the scream and unclean vocals. In their newest single Tapping Out, Carter brings it with his angelic like voice which is what you would expect from him. The track is heavy and definitely puts to death the rumors that they were going to be a "bubble gum pop band". The whole song I was waiting in anticipation for something to happen and then you hear screaming on the track. Which was kind of a head scratcher for me. Why would you kick out the screamer of the band then continue doing that with the guitarist screaming? I guess that is one of those things that was best for the band, but still kind of confusing from a fans perspective. The track has me intrigued on what a full album will sound like. From interviews that I have read the band says the album is the heaviest stuff they have written. I do not see them slowing down at all and will deliver a great album in the coming year! 

Album Breakdown

Rescue & Restore 

What up world! I hope this finds you having a day that is just absolutely fantastic! Today I am going to tell you about one of my favorite albums by one of my favorite bands, August Burns Red.  ABR comes from Lancaster, Pennsylvania and are a bunch of farm boys who can shred. They do not fit the mold of what you would think of a metal band by any means. They will come out on stage wearing Hollister polos and flip flops and look like total bros on stage playing their music.

Rescue and Restore is the 6th studio album from the band (including their Christmas album). The 2013 release debuted at number 9 on the Billboard 200 and was the last album they put out on Solid State Records. This album seemed to be the a little bit of a turning point for the band. 

They really pushed the limits on themselves as a band and the metal genre itself. Guitarist JB Brubaker said in an interview about the album, 'We set out to write a record where every song stands out from the last. There is a lot of ground covered here and a ton of meat to this album. It’s full of odd metered rhythms and breakdowns, unexpected twists and turns, and some of our most technical riffing to date. Each of us have parts that make our heads spin and we have had to practice like crazy to get some of this stuff together. I know we always say this, but this will be our most ambitious album yet.' The album really does incorporate a lot of things that you would not think would be in a metal song let alone a metal album. 

Let's dive in! 

1.) Provision:
This is the first song on the album and it is a great start to the album. The lyrics were written by drummer Matt Greiner. The lyrics were influenced by a life event that happened to Griener. He was deceived into a Ponzi Scheme and lost a significant amount of money. He wrote the song on top of a mountain in Austria while on tour with the band. The lyrics are very powerful and deep. The song is about self-realization and learning and growing from past mistakes. The most powerful lyric comes in the middle of the song, "I’m just as much the problem as the man behind bars. He did with his business what I do in my heart", then leads straight into a brutal breakdown. What makes this song a favorite of mine is the lyrical meaning. It is a song about growth and realizing and seeing the sin in your own life even when people and situations have wronged you. That is a lesson I have had to learn in my own life over the last year and a half. But as Greiner wrote, "Even the worst of mankind can’t disrupt sovereignty". 

2.) Treatment:

Man, this song starts off quick! Within the first 30 seconds there is a fierce breakdown smacking you in the face. Musically this song starts fast then slows down. This song is also one of the first songs that ABR did to completely change and have a different vibe/sound smack dab in the middle of the song, with the first one being Internal Cannon on their album Leveler. The song is about how judgmental people can be and how they treat others. The members of ABR are Christians and their faith influences what they write. So with this song, it seems like they saying that they see a lot of hate and judgement that people do because they may not have the same beliefs as them. The message of the song is to accept everyone and really look at how we treat others. Its a heavy song that hits hard! 

3.) Spirit Breaker:

The third track on the album starts off with a soothing mix of guitar and strings and picks up when vocalist, Jake Luhrs, comes in. This song is about being depressed but remembering that when those days come they will not last. The song was written when the band was spending long times away from home while on touring and the tole that can take on someone. The song slows down with Luhrs reading a letter that he wrote back home. It almost has a spoken word feel to it then kicks back up with the full band coming in to close out the song. 

4.) Count It All As Lost:

The album continues on with Count It All As Lost and is one fo the hardest hitting songs musically and lyrically. It's a complex song with some ripping guitar riffs and powerful drum fills mixed in with a couple of impact breakdowns. It also has some melodic parts in it as well. In this song we really see back up vocalist and bass guitarist, Dustin Davidson, scream a lot on this song. Davidson's and Luhrs' vocals really complement each other in this song as well as all the songs in the bands catalog. It is a solid song all around.

5.) Sincerity:
This song is in the middle of the album and it starts off fast and keeps the energy up through the whole song. Matt Griener shows off just how good he is on drums with the drum fills he plays during this song that will melt your face. This song is the shortest on the album coming in just over 3 minutes long. As quickly as it starts it is over with a brutal breakdown.

6.) Creative Captivity: 
This song is kind of refreshing. The song is mostly instrumental with very few lyrics in the song. The song brings in all types of instruments that one would not normally think would be in a metal album like a Chinese harp, a marimba, a trumpet and a violin. The band shows off just how good of musicians they are to be able to incorporate all these different sounds into a great song. The song ends with a trumpet playing in the background and it slowly becomes front and center. It is one of my favorites on the album because it is so different and something you would not expect from one of the biggest bands in the metal scene.

7.) Fault Line: 
Fault Line was the first single that the band put out for this album. When I first heard it I had mixed feelings about it. I then grew to love it and I now know why they released it first. It has everything you would come to expect from an ABR song. Sick guitar solos with face punching breakdowns. The lyrics are the band talking to their fans directly. So often we, as fans, get caught up in seeing people up on stage or in front of people and think that they have it all together or put them up on pedestal. We forget that they are people too, just like you and me. I so often forget that people up on stage are just like me, they have faults and are human and put a lot of stock and faith in them. This song is ABR reminding us that they are human as well.

8.) Beauty In Tragedy:
The songs starts off with an absolute monster of a drum fill and goes into an intricate guitar riff by guitarist JB Brubaker. Brubaker really is a legend on the guitar and not only writes incredible guitar parts but plays them perfectly live. He really puts the practice in and it shows up time and time again with each song and album they put out. They song is about losing some one close to you. I have seen ABR play this song multiple times and I get chills every time they play it. The lyrics are about remembering the loved ones you lost and carrying on with their memories in your heart. Even though things can get hard without them here, you can still carry on with their memory and love.

9.) Animals:
This is probably the heaviest song on the album. The song is filled with heavy breakdowns and low vocals. ABR does an incredible job in laying melodic guitar riffs over heavy breakdowns. They do that perfectly in this song. There is not much to say other than that about the song. It is just that good. Go listen to it.

10.) Echoes
This song is on the lighter/more melodic side. It still has a great breakdown but its not heavy and helps bring the album to a close with it being the second to last song on the album. Lyrically it is about their time on the road. It is completely different from the message on Spirit Breaker. Luhrs screams about how when they are on the road it seems like it is almost an escape for them but, "Home will always be where my heart lives". The song ends with choir like gang vocals. It is a great song that leaves you feeling good when it is over.

11.) The First Step: 
This song is a song that is forgotten for me. It is the last song of the album and is a typical ABR song. The last half of the album is the best part of the album but with this song being at the end of an incredible run of songs, it kind of gets forgotten. It is a solid song with great music and definitely has that classic ABR feel to it. It is heavy and hard hitting and leaves you with a great end to the album. What I think the song is about is getting out there and not being afraid grow and take the first step in life. It rounds out the album well bringing all aspects through out the album altogether to close it out.

So there it is! Give the album a listen and let me know what you think!

Music Videos:
Provision
Fault Line
Beauty In Tragedy

#CurrentlyTrending

What up! I hope this post finds you doing well this week. One thing that I am going to do from time to time is something I call #CurrentlyTrending. These post will be about what I am currently listening to over and over again. Usually when I start listening to something I will stay on that particular artist, album or song for a little bit. With that introduction, let's dive into what I have been listening to!

Redefined - As I Lay Dying 

This is the second song that As I Lay Dying has released since the return of their frontman Tim Lambesis. Now, Lambesis is a controversial figure in the metal genre because of his legal trouble. That is a whole blog post for another time which I will talk about later on at some point. Redefined is the follow up to My Own Grave which AILD released back in June of 2018. This song is a statement from the band and continues on with the same path as My Own Grave. The opening line in the song speaks to the statement the song is making, "I refuse to let go of the memories. 'Cause they've changed everything inside of me." 

The theme through out the lyrics can be taken from the title of the song. Given what has happened over the last 4-5 years for the band, they are not straying away from what happened with Lambesis but rather learning and growing as people. The song is about embracing past mistakes and failures and seeing what you can learn from them, no matter how painful they can be. This speaks to my life right now in knowing that my failures do not make me but rather they can help make me into who I want to become. I have learned I don't grow when things are good but rather from failures and hard times. The lyric, "From our failures, we are refined", speaks to just that. Being made better because of the hard times or situations that arise in life, weather we bring them on or not. The pain and hurt from the past will never go away. Rather than dwell on it, take it and become stronger from it.

The music is really great. Filled with excellent guitar riffs as well as a breakdown straight into wicked guitar solo. The song features Jake Luhrs of August Burns Red and he brings the HEAT with his vocals. Him and Lambesis really complement each other well in the first verse of the song. It is a heavy song that will get you head banging from the very beginning. Before this song and My Own Grave I only knew of one song from AILD. With this song I am definitely intrigued in the direction this band will go with a full length.

Here are the videos Redefined and My Own Grave.

Thanks for reading!

Top 10 Favorite Albums

Top 10 Favorite Albums

For my first "real" post I figured I would talk about my top 10 favorite albums. Now these are albums that I always find myself going back to and listening to on long road trips or cleaning my house. 

Now the hardest part of this was figuring out where certain albums go in the ranking. The albums in spots 1-5 are in no particular order. On any given day you can ask me what my favorite album is and I will say one of those albums. They are so good that I can't put one of those 5 over another in terms of my favorite. So now that we got that out of the way, here are my Top 10. 

10.) Montevallo - Sam Hunt 

If you know me, you might be surprised to see this album on my list...but this album is one I listen to all the time. It falls under the country genre but it is very hard for me to call it country because there are elements of hip hop as well in this record. I had not heard of Sam Hunt until I went to his concert when he was touring for the album. He put on an amazing show and ever since then I have been listening it. The album starts off with a slow ballad in Take Your Time. It picks up with high energy hits in Leave The Night On and House Party. Those two songs are probably my favorites from this album. They have that "pool party cooking burgers with your friends" feeling while you are listening to them. The album then continues on with a slower vibe and picks back up with Ex To See (this is where a little bit of hip/hop comes in). Things get deep with Make You Miss Me, which is an absolute heart breaker of a song. Cop Car is on the album and this is the song that Sam Hunt is probably known best for because Keith Urban made it famous. The album rounds out with another high energy song in Raised On It and ends with the way it started with a slow song in Speakers. From beginning to end this album has great songs. I listen to it after every concert I go to on the way home. 

Songs To Listen To:

- Leave The Night On 

- House Party

- Make You Miss Me 

9.) We Will Overcome - Close Your Eyes

This is the first album from Abilene, TX band Close Your Eyes and just might be the best one they have. It has everything that makes a great album, great music and great lyrics. It falls under the hardcore and rock genres. I have seen CYE multiple times and they never disappointed. I am sad to say that they don't tour anymore and have kind of gone silent other than playing a show with their original vocalist, Shane Raymond, back in 2015. The album kicks off with A Proclamation and it is a great start to how the whole album will be. You quickly see the talent their singer, Shane, has. The energy does not stop or let up with Friends Are Friends Forever with an awesome breakdown you do not see coming. The album keeps the energy up with xChet Steadmanx and Digging Graves. They get deep lyrically with The Body ft. Mattie Montgomery of the band For Today. The next song on the album is the bands biggest hit, Song For The Broken. It is a hardcore worship song right in the middle of the album and was a crowd favorite every time they played. Things get going after with songs 17:20, Wake Up! and Bitter Path. Following those songs is Something Needs To Change. Every time I hear this song I get instantly HYPE. It hits hard and has a great worship aspect to the song as well. The worship continues with the last song Arms Raised which is a great end to the album. We Will Overcome is a lot of fun and is great to listen to while working out. 

Songs To Listen To:

-A Proclamation  

-Digging Graves

-Song For The Broken

-Something Needs To Change  

8.) Rise Or Die Trying - Four Year Strong 

This album came out in 2007 and very much has that feel to it through out the whole thing. It is the second album from Four Year Strong and set the bar high for them. Rise Or Die Trying falls under the power pop punk genre and is a fun album to listen to. I find myself singing different songs from it all the time. It is raw. It does not have that much production in the album which gives that raw feeling. The Takeover is the intro into the album which feeds right into Prepare To Be Digitally Manipulated which then leads into Abandon Ship Or Abandon All Hope. Both songs are fun punk songs to role down the car windows to and sing at the top of your lungs. The fourth song on the album, Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die, just might be my favorite song that FYS has ever recorded. The opening guitar riff is fun to listen to and the energy picks up with the drums coming in hot and fast. Ending with a great pop punk breakdown. The album continues on with more tracks that will get stuck in your head and finishes off with Maniac (R.O.D). It is the song that combines all the elements from the songs that came before it, strong melodies, sick guitar riffs, and happy breakdowns. It's an album you can sing like no one is listening and head bang like no one is watching. 

Songs To Listen To:

-Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die 

-Bada Bing! Wit' A Pipe!

-Maniac (R.O.D)

7.) Son Of The Morning - Oh, Sleeper

There is not a band that I have seen play live than Oh, Sleeper and their sophomore album Son Of The Morning is a big reason why I have seen them more than any other band. This a metal album, filled with guitar riffs and breakdowns as well as some of the most insane drum parts I have ever heard. SOTM is a concept album. It is about the final battle between God and the Devil. Vocalist Micah Kinard is probably the best lyricists out there. He pulls from all different inspirations and uses vivid imagery for every song on the album. The opening song, which is also the title track, is the Devil calling out God to challenge him, "I am the lord of air and my dawn will last forever.
Go on pouring out because in the end I will have them." The album then continues on with the battle imagery with The New Breed which is a battle cry anthem. The album flows along with the concept of a great battle happening but takes a brief pause in the song Reveries Of Flight. This song is about a man climbing a mountain trying to get to the top which is where God is. He sees all of the people around him with wings flying right up to the top of the mountain to be with God. The man can not understand why he does not have these wings like the rest of them. The song is written by the bands singer, Shane Blay, who is an atheist and who does not have the faith like those around him. Micah comes in and screams over the song which is God's response to Shane's lyrics in the song. It is a beautiful song with God responding with, "Because I've tried, I've never pulled back my reach, and I've stayed and I've died, but you keep looking for me where I'm not.I won't be just where you want me to be.You've got to believe and just trust that I can be everything." The album picks back up and hits you in the face with World Without A Sun feeding the aggressiveness of the epic battle that continues to the last song, The Finisher. This song is the response from God to the Devil. Kinard does a great job of showing the power God has over the Devil through out the whole song. As you can tell I love this album because lyrics. The music is amazing as well but the lyrics are the reason I keep coming back to this album.

Songs To Listen To:
-Son Of The Morning
-Reveries Of Flight
-World Without A Sun
-The Finisher

6.) Clouded - This Wild Life 

Clouded is the first full album from the acoustic duo This Wild Life. They started off as a pop punk band and released two EP's. A turn of events happened leaving the singer and drummer the only ones left in the band. They decided to continue on as an acoustic act, because going from pop punk band to acoustic duo is a natural progression, and debuted with their album Clouded. Even though they play acoustic songs and are far from a pop punk band they still play shows with punk and hard rock bands even playing Warped Tour multiple times. The album is made up of a majority of break up songs and are very catchy and hit right to the heart with their lyrics. They have tear jerker in their song called No More Bad Days which is about the bands singer, Kevin Jordan, mother who had cancer. The album ties together guitars, percussion instruments, as well as string instruments through out the album. The last song on the album, 405, is a full band track that gives a great song to end the album. this being their first album going the acoustic route, they really hit it hard and gave us a great album to listen to over and over again. Almost every song on this album feels like it is a pop punk song, but the acoustic version. Jordan's angelic voice carries over the guitar cords that band mate Anthony Del Grosso lays down on each track. After you give them a listen do a quick google search to see what they look like, you'll be surprised. 

Songs To Listen To: 

-Concrete 

-History

-Better With You 

-405

Top 5 In No Particular Order

5.) With Roots Above And Branches Below - The Devil Wears Prada 

With Roots Above And Branches Below is the third album from The Devil Wears Prada and by far my favorite album they have come out with. They recently went on a 10 year anniversary tour of the album and played it front to back. It was an awesome night full of nostalgia and breakdowns. The album opens with 4 clicks of drum sticks that brings in a fast paced drum beat into an early small breakdown with vocals from Mike Hranica and Jeremy DePoyster coming in strong leading straight into the second song. The title of the third track is an ode to The Office with the name, Assistant To The Regional Manager. That track starts off with a chilling guitar riff and builds to one of the best chorus' of the album. Dez Moines is the next track and it is one of the most complete songs on the album. It was the first single they released from the album and there is a reason why it was. It's a strong track filled with great vocals and guitar progressions. The intro to the next track, Big Wiggly Style, quite possibly has the best intro to a song. Just go listen to it. With two solid tracks before it Danger: Wildman closes out the best stretch of songs on the album and is the most popular track from the album. The rest of the album continues with some great breakdowns in Ben Has A Kid and Gimme Half. WRAABB rounds out with the very random but very good track Louder Than Thunder. It is a song with the vocals of DePoyster and some keys. It slows down is a slow ballad. The album ends with an epic breakdown in Lord Xenu with heavy lyrics and music. TDWP says that this album was the first time they actually put effort and thought into making an album. The album also debuted at number 11 on the Billboard Top 200. 

Songs To Listen To:

-Assistant To The Regional Manager 

-Danger: Wildman

-Ben Has A Kid

4.) Forget And Not Slow Down - Relient K 

This album seemed to be the turning point for Relient K. This is their 6th studio album, not including their Christmas albums, and it has a different sound than the albums that came before it. Relient K is known for their punk rock sound and high energy songs, which they have done on the albums up until Forget And Not Slow Down. When their singer, Matt Thiessen, started writing the record he went away for three months in seclusion to write the record. This came after Thiessen and his then fiancee broke up in early 2008. This album was made with all real instruments rather than a lot of production to it and was the first album with Ethan Luck as their drummer. They even use a baseball bat as an instrument in the track Savannah. The title track just might be my favorite song by Relient K. The album, as a whole, is about Thiessen moving on and the heartache of a failed engagement. The album is slower overall than what you would expect from a Relient K album. I believe it is the best album lyrically on this list. Thiessen does an amazing job at putting his pain into words while finding comfort in God. FANSD has some intros and outros that flow nicely through out the whole album. Relient K is a Christian band and that influences this album tremendously. Relient K called upon friends Aaron Gillespie, who was recording an album for The Almost at the same time, and Matt MacDonald, from the Classic Crime, to join them on the track Sahara. Sahara is a throw back to the fast paced rock sound that fans were use to. The album debuted at 15 on the top 200 charts and gained recognition in the Christian music world. This album is a great road trip album. I once listened to it 3 times in a row and each time I listen to it I pick up on a different lyric. If you were a fan of Relient K and stopped listening to them, go give this album a listen its different than what you would expect.

Songs To Listen To: 
-Forget And Not Slow Down
-Part Of It
-Sahara
-If You Believe Me
-Therapy

3.) Never Take Friendship Personal - Anberlin 

The second album from Anberlin in the best album they have come out with. It was released in 2005 on Tooth & Nail records and brought the band closer to mainstream success. Never Take Friendship Personal was named after the events of the band removing their guitarist. The story goes that there was a big falling out between the band their guitarist and at the end of it singer Stephen Christian told the guy, "Well never take friendship personal!" then walked out the room. The album covers an array of topics from death and friendship to relationships and heart break. The album features Demon Hunter vocalist Ryan Clark as well as being produced by very well know producer Aaron Sprinkle. It is a great alternative/rock album filled with great guitar riffs and solid lyrics from beginning to end. NTFP features the biggest song that Anberlin has ever written in The Feel Good Drag. While promoting this album the band felt like the song didn't get the attention they felt it deserved so they rerecorded and put it on their record New Surrender. NTFP has songs that you can rock out and sing and dance to as well as songs that will hit you right in the feels. Christian's vocals on this album are some of my favorite from any album on this list. The music is just as good with guitar riffs as well as fun drum parts to air play.

Songs To Listen To: 
-Never Take Friendship Personal
-Paperthin Hymn
-Time & Confusion
-The Feel Good Drag

2.) Son, I Loved You At Your Darkest - As Cities Burn 

You ask anybody who listened to hardcore/screamo music in high school they will say that this album is one of their favorites. Son, I Loved You At Your Darkest is the first album from the Louisiana band As Cities Burn and is hands down their best album. It seems like they caught lightening in a bottle with this album because they have not had the same commercial success like they had with this album. The album that came after sold half as many copies. The band has been on a roller coaster of breaking up and getting back together as they have done that multiple times over the years. The band got back together to do a 10 year anniversary tour of the album and it was one of the best shows I have ever been to. The album starts off with a bang and does not let up. They have some deep lyrics about Christianity through out the whole album and really do not stray away from their faith. The song in the middle of the album, The Widow, is a great song about forgiveness. The song is about the singers father walking out on his family. A very powerful lyric from that song, which speaks about forgiveness on a hard subject, "But I believe there is something here to be learned of grace. 'Cause I can't help but love you. No, I can't help but love you. Even with a heart that breaks, like the promises that you made." SILYAYD ends with my favorite song on the album, Of Want And Misery: The Nothing That Kills. It is a worship song at its core and vocals from, TJ Bonnette, really drive home the message of the song. SILYAYD has great lyrics and great vocals. This album has impacted me in many ways.

Songs To Listen To: 
-Thus From My Lips, By Yours, My Sin Is Purged
-Bloodsucker, Pt. 2
-The Widow
-Of Want And Misery: The Nothing That Kills

1.) Define The Great Line & They're Only Chasing Safety - Underoath 

Now, I know what you are thinking. These are two separate albums. Yes they are, but I can't mention one album without the other. These two albums come from metalcore giants, Underoath. 

They're Only Chasing Safety came out first in 2004. It was the first album with vocalist Spencer Chamberlin and the line up that would go to be what Underoath is known for. It starts off quickly with Young And Aspiring and does not let up. This album contains some of the most liked songs Underoath has recorded in A Boy Brushed Red Living In Black And White, Reinventing Your Exit, and It's Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door (shout out to The Lord Of The Rings fans). It is a fast paced album that brought the band a lot of national attention and deservingly so. The follow up album, Define The Great Line, came out in 2006 and debuted at #2 on the Top 200, the highest debut ever for an Underoath album. DTGL is a heavier album with a lot of lyrical content coming from Chamberlain's past struggles with drugs. It has some great drumming from drummer and singer, Aaron Gillespie. Chamberlin and Gillespie cowrote a lot of the lyrics in TOCS and DTGL and really balance each other out well on both albums. DTGL ends with a chilling and heavy ballad which uses choir like singing as well as deep guitar riffs and low screams from Chamberlain. After Underoath called it quits in 2013 they reunited in 2015 and went on tour and played both of these albums in their entirety. I saw them play here in Dallas then 10 days later saw them in Salt Lake City. The crowd was so pumped for Underoath to be back and playing their two best albums back to back. To me, you can't talk about one of these albums without talking about the other.

Songs To Listen To: 

-A Boy Brushed Red Living In Black And White

-Reinventing Your Exit

-Its Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door

-In Regards To Myself 

-You're Ever So Inviting 

-Writing On The Walls

-Everyone Looks So Good From Here 

There it is. My Top 10 or 11 if you want to be literal. Would love to hear what ya think! 

Here are some albums that just missed the cut: 

-The Question by Emery 

-Underdog Alma Mater by Forever The Sickest Kids 

-Want by 3OH!3

-Messengers by August Burns Red 

-Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park 

So What is This About?

What What is This About?

You maybe asking, "what is this about?" Well let me tell you! My name is Adam Kajs and I love music. I love talking about music, listening to music, going to concerts and even playing drums from time to time. I find myself going back and watching YouTube videos of bands I like and watching old shows they have put on. It seems like I am always listening to music no matter what I am doing. From cleaning my room to shaving my face and brushing my teeth I always have music playing in the background. When my music is playing my friends will ask me, "who is that?" and I'll usually say something like, "A band you have probably never heard of." I then would be able to tell them way more about that band and the history of the band than they would want to know. But because they are my friends they will humor me and let me rattle off whatever I know. Quickly I figured out that I really enjoy the music that I listen to and am passionate about it more than I realized. 

The thought to start a music blog has been sitting in the back of my head for sometime now and I am finally taking the leap! There will be typos and grammar problems all over this thing. AND I'M OKAY WITH IT. This is about the music I listen to and sharing that passion with whoever will read this thing. I will give my reviews on albums(new and old), shows and festivals that I go to, and things that I am currently listening to. I listen to all types of music from Country to Metal to Christian/Gospel, so there will be something for everyone. I am excited about sharing my thoughts on the music itself as well as diving into lyrics and album concepts. You'll also get to see what shows I am going to and thoughts on them. 

Let's do this thing!