Song: A Day To Remember - Miracle [2022]

The metalcore community seemed so disappointed about You're Welcome, but I honestly thought it was pretty decent. Regardless, when A Day To Remember dropped Miracle out of nowhere, it was a fresh release that rejuvenated their heaviness, whether or not you disliked You're Welcome's softer sound. For some, it felt like a return to form, and I think it's pretty damn solid.

They've been slowly evolving from their easycore sound of the late 2000s to a more modern metalcore sound, incorporating a few elements of today like electronics, production techniques and better breakdowns. Although You're Welcome saw them take a hard left into country rock, there were pieces of this evolution present in tracks like Resentment and Last Chance To Dance (Bad Friend), pieces that have lead to Miracle.

Bringing the track in with a synth and chugs, they quickly transition into the classic modern metal lowkey-verse-highkey-chorus trope, but it works wonders. Their catchy hooks continue to excel, and the energy in the chorus alone is astounding. And to top it all off, Jeremy screaming at the end of the chorus is immaculate. Their songwriting has always been stellar but it seems they've hit the nail on the head with this one.

I love a good breakdown, and they gave us a double stacked one. Bold callout, low-tuned riffage, and an absolute sucker punch of a double down with those triplets, totalling forty whole seconds of breakdown goodness. Rarely does modern metalcore see such a long breakdown, they sure did spoil us with this one.

Miracle was a great return for A Day To Remember, and I'm excited for a new album to come soon. And as much as I appreciated You're Welcome for what it is, I sure wouldn't mind them getting back to being heavy.

Rating: 3/5

Album: A Day To Remember - Homesick [2009]

A Day To Remember remains as one of the most influential and recognized easycore bands out there, notable for their unmistakable blend of pop punk and metalcore energies. Homesick was and still is one of their best albums to date, home to some of their best tracks and a testament to one of their strongest times as a band.

Homesick sees their iconic blend of catchy choruses and heavy riffing with the highest ratio of hits to misses of any album they've released. Just about every track on the list has something great to offer, and a good handful of them are brilliant gems of the entire early 2000s metalcore era.

Part of doing a heavier pop punk is having a good pop punk foundation to begin with, and Homesick is chock full of that genuine pop punk essence. Amidst the fast-paced drumming, bonanza of power chords and happy-sounding melodies is an unfiltered punk energy manifesting itself within the lyrics and the meaning. Boasting a respectable selection of great verses and choruses that anyone would have trouble trying not to sing along to, it's clear that half of Homesick's appeal is simply how much of an earworm it is, one that is happily welcomed by the scene.

The heavy side of A Day To Remember is a force to be reckoned with, and although I can't say that they were at the top of their game with it on every song, it is still a heavily commendable blend that is hard to pull off. With a focus on simplicity, a lot of their heavy moments boil down to literal zeroes on the chugs and uncomplicated drum patterns. Despite that, they've managed to make some of their breakdowns and heavy riffs extremely iconic, whether it's the main chug riff of The Downfall Of Us All or the meme'd-to-hell breakdown of Mr. Highway's Thinking About The End. Jeremy also has always boasted a super robust scream tone that constantly sets him apart from other vocalists, one that he knows how to use like a monster. Many callouts of his remain iconic, and his scream verses are always a highlight.

A standout of the album that differs a lot from the rest of the record is the closing track. If It Means A Lot To You has become their most streamed track on Spotify by a large margin, and I think the song represented both what the band and album were capable of. A Day To Remember absolutely nailed it on this ballad, concocting their own unique take on the acoustic dual vocal ballad that ramps up to the full band near the end, with plenty of emotions to boot. I think this song was the culmination of both the album as a pivotal moment in the band's career and the band's growth in developing their sound.

Homesick remains a highlight of the band's discography and of early 2010s metalcore, simply because it cannot be denied that A Day To Remember is a band capable of writing great songs without having to get technical. It doesn't take much to fall in love with their sound, especially from this era of their music, and I definitely enjoyed this record thoroughly.

Rating: 8/10

Tracklist:

1. The Downfall Of Us All

2. My Life For Hire

3. I'm Made Of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of? (feat. Mike Hranica of The Devil Wears Prada)

4. NJ Legion Iced Tea

5. Mr. Highway's Thinking About The End

6. Have Faith In Me

7. Welcome To The Family (feat. Vincent Bennett of The Acacia Strain)

8. Homesick

9. Holdin' 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 (feat. Sierra Kusterbeck of VersaEmerge)