I grew up in a small town, with the closest decent music venue being nearly an hour away from me. It wasn’t easy to find alternative music without a little bit of effort. I discovered new music through friends, MySpace, perusing the CDs at the local Walmart or picking up eye-catching albums at Hot Topic (which was about an hour away as well). Once upon a time MTV did show plenty of music videos, and so did Fuse. Those two stations aided in the development of my love for metal and passion for the genres I listen to now. Even though they may be full of shitty reality TV series now, they at one time helped kids learn about new and exciting bands.

I first heard of Senses Fail when I saw the music video for “Buried A Lie” one night on Fuse. Sure, I was a little late to catch onto them, but I was instantly hooked. The next day, I went out and purchased their album, Let It Enfold You. Though this was not their very first studio album (they previously released the EP From The Depths Of Dreams), it’s the reason they exploded in popularity. They had a couple of stellar singles which helped them gain tons of popularity with mall kids and MySpace junkies everywhere.

Hot Topic Fashion Circa 2004.

By the time Let It Enfold You was released, we had solid albums by Underoath, From First To Last, My Chemical Romance and the like. Each of these bands secured themselves a strong hold in the emo/screamo scene of the mid 2000s. They all had something unique to offer, which is the leading reason why many of them are still held dearly by fans today. These bands did not invent post hardcore, but they are part of the reason it flourishes still in 2014. You know an album that kicks off with “So love me gently with a chainsaw…” is not going to be boring. It wasn’t boring then, and it’s still not boring ten years after its release.

What about this album makes it stand the test of time better than some of its predecessors and peers? For me, personally, it’s the lyrics. Catchy, non-generic hooks will go much further than some cookie cutter lyrics that are designed to simply draw in the masses. Sure, there was definitely a huge trend of Hot Topic emo kids back in the early 2000s, and Senses Fail certainly fell into that category, but so did many other beloved bands of that time. As I have mentioned on many album reviews in the past, having a unique sound is what will help an album endure the test of time. The band may never be famous like a top 40s band, but that doesn’t make their importance any less relevant.

Part of the band’s overall success also has to do with the fact that they put on a great live performance. Bands who are boring, or don’t sound well live aren’t usually going to hang around for a decade. The guys in this group are full of energy, and that energy feeds the crowd. Fans bond with their favorite bands through live shows, so all of the touring the band has done over the years has paid off greatly. It has given fans the opportunity to learn all of the words by heart, which makes those who have seen them live feel like they have a more intimate relationship with the group. Those are the kind of memories that bands can’t force to happen, but when they do happen it’s something wonderful that makes people love a band for years and years.

Some of Senses Fail’s best songs to see live are off Let It Enfold You (especially since they officially retired “187”). Not only is it an album that many people still listen to, but the band is still relevant. Sure, they went through a rough patch in the later 2000s, but they had a solid comeback with Renacer back in 2013. It might not contain the same sort of angst we heard on Let It Enfold You, but does any followup album ever hold up to that sort of standard set by a bunch of angsty 20-somethings? No, not really. Lucky for us, though, Let It Enfold You did come out when they were a bunch of angsty 20-year-olds, and it hit a nerve with teens all over the country both then and now. It’s a work of musicianship that has not been replicated in 10 years. The band crafted a specific sound that they have cultivated over the years that is unmatched in the genre. I’m not saying it’s the best album ever written, but it’s a damn good one. Buddy Nielsen’s lyricism has a unique voice to it – even today where everyone sounds the same. No matter what sort of album they release in the future, they will always have this part of their history. 

‘Let It Enfold You’ turned 10 on Sunday, September 7.

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Kriston McConnell

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