Band: A Day To Remember
Album: Homesick
Genre: Bro-Core
Label: Victory

Track Listing:
1. Downfall of Us All
2. My Life For Hire
3. I’m Made of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of
4. NJ Legion Ice Tea
5. Mr. Highway’s Thinking About The End
6. Have Faith in Me
7. Welcome To My Family
8. Homesick
9. Holding It Down For The Underground
10. You Already Know What You Are
11. Another Song About The Weekend
12. If It Means A Lot To You

When I heard that A Day To Remember (ADTR) was coming out with a new album I felt like a kid again. Envision Christmas morning, unwrapping all those cool gifts and then, before your eyes, your favorite gift. This was it.

From their bone-crushing debut, For Those Who Have Heart, A Day To Remember returns with more intensity and precision than ever. Their new record entitled Homesick delivers track after track of Billboard Chart topping hits. Blending the unique styles of pop/punk, hardcore and alternative rock, ADTR does anything but lack innovation. Unlike most bands who struggle their entire career to find an identity this cohesive group demonstrates a prowess for consistent and quality material.

The cd starts out with a playful humming of a breakdown beat and adds hand-clapping which impressed me as being very humorous and made me laugh when I heard it for the first time. It then leads to singer Jeremy McKinnon screaming, “Let’s Go!”, I was hit with an intense punch in the face of ferocious and signature guitar chugs. I always say the first track sets the tone for the overall attitude of the album and “The Downfall of Us All” surely accomplishes it.

Tracks such as “Mr. Highway’s Thinking About The End” and “Homesick” are two of my favorites. They convey what the band is all about. The string picking which leads to the double-bass accompaniment on drums is truly epic. Building up to their hardest mosh pit song to date on “Mr. Highway’s Thinking About The End” definitely gets the crowd in frenzy mode. “Homesick” portrays the style of a solid punk song with the ADTR flair thrown into the mix. The first thing I thought of when I heard this was the song “Decency” by Rufio; fast-paced, energetic and a catchy chorus for good measure.

In the midst of creating a solid album there is one aspect that concerns me. The guitars seem to overshadow the other instruments quite a bit. I feel as if the symbols and bass drum are the only parts of the drum kit being heard on select songs. The bass guitar has a tendency to be filtered out here and there as well. Perhaps the final production value is not exactly what the band had hoped for.

As For Those Who Have Heart did with its writing process the lyrics deal with the promise of healing lost relationships. It also touches on the agony of never wanting to see the one you once loved and, of course, the self-evident title of the album Homesick. McKinnon stretches his vocal comfort level to a whole different plateau by adding more intensity to his voice while keeping the harmonies tight and balanced.

So if you are looking for a album that blends an intense sound of hardcore with the melodic touch that A Day To Remember is well-known for then you will be pleasantly surprised at the albums versatility. I believe Homesick, by ADTR, will make its own monumental impact on the music scene in good time.

*Written By: Grant Trimboli*
Grade: 9/10

• Author
• Recent Posts

James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

Latest posts by James Shotwell (see all)

• 2015’s Most Underrated Films - December 29, 2015
• Passing The Torch: The End Of An Era For UTG - December 1, 2015
• UTG PREMIERE: Before The Streetlights – “Private Browser” - November 26, 2015