A Day to Remember had me at hello. Although their first album “And Their Name Was Treason” (2005) was lacking in technical quality, their lyrical content left me itching to hear more. As I listened to each of their albums over the past five years, I could hear the members of the band becoming better musicians.
Originally from Ocala, Florida, A Day to Remember formed in 2003. The band members have cited both people from their hometown and bands like blink-182 as their influences. They have performed with musicians ranging in sound such as The Devil Wears Prada, August Burns Red and Motionless In White. Across 13 years, A Day to Remember has released six albums to date.
However, “Common Courtesy” (2012) disappointed me; the album as a whole was missing something. It moved away from their typical genre of music, post-hardcore. This genre is defined by putting a creative spin on hardcore punk. The band’s fast-paced, heavy riffs paired with guttural vocals typify post-hardcore. The album was incredibly eclectic and flip-flopped between different sounds, leaving me confused.
When I heard about the release of “Bad Vibrations” on Sept. 2, I was initially hesitant. I didn’t want them to stray further from the sound I had grown to love prior to the release of “Common Courtesy.” Eventually, I decided to buckle down and just play through the entire CD. It definitely exceeded my expectations.
Vocalist Jeremy McKinnon has grown in his vocal ability during his time with the band
Junior criminal justice major Amber Campbell, who has been listening to the band for 11 years, described the album perfectly. “They sound like they are going back to something heavier, which is great. It kind of goes back to how they were when they started,” she said. The title track of the album was reminiscent of “Speak of the Devil” from their album “For Those Who Have Heart” (2007). It went from guttural beginnings to a melodic chorus and included the powerful breakdowns that act as an identifying marker for the band.
It was the lyrics “Bad Vibrations” presented that brought me back to their early days and had me excited for the band’s future. “We Got This” and “Naivety” featured an inspirational and nostalgic message that reminded me of my high school years when I started listening to the band. Despite “Forgive and Forget” having a slower sound, it became my favorite song on the newest album. Each word wrenched my heart and left me in tears.
Senior accounting and financial mathematics major James Zeitler has been listening to the band for about 10 years. He said when he started listening to them, the music left him amped up for any activity he was doing. “Bad Vibrations” kept those feelings going for him. “Listening to ‘Naivety’ brought back memories of being a young punk cruising down the street on his BMX bike with a couple of friends,” Zeitler said, “‘Bad Vibrations’ feels like a collaboration of all the music A Day to Remember has produced in the last 10 years all on one CD.”
I agree with Zeitler. There are elements of each album on “Bad Vibrations,” but it still manages to produce its own unique sound by plunging further into the post-hardcore genre. If I had to rate this album, it would receive five out of five stars for the band’s ability to evolve as a music group, while paying homage to its previous tone.