When I think of Still Rings True, I think of straight-to-the-point, no-bullshit, socially-conscious Punk Rock. This band's breed of Punk Rock, Pop Punk, Hardcore, whatever you wanna call it, is unfortunately, a scarce one. I think in order to accurately break down the band's upcoming album, Tear Down The Walls, it's best to start from the beginning.
Still Rings True started off with their self-titled EP in 2009 which was followed by their first full-length, I Wouldn't Call This Living, in 2010. Last year, the band also released a new EP entitled Anger Is A Gift. In this same pattern, the band is now set to release their second album. It could be said that the purpose of the EPs has partially been to test the water, if you will – the water being the reception to the music. Both albums have re-spawned some, if not all, of the songs from the EPs.
So now we're back to the present, where Still Rings True's new album is on the eve of being released. Clocking in at just under 35 minutes with 10 songs, including re-recordings of the Anger Is A Gift EP, this album builds on further to what I Wouldn't Call This Living had to offer. Tear Down The Walls; a title which I consider to also be the band's ultimate motto. Not only does it seem like the band aims to break the mould of what is typically expected from Pop Punk bands lyrically, but also musically. As I mentioned earlier, the genre of the album isn't definitive, but rather a mixture of neighbouring styles. The album in general has preserved and built on the band's essence, which is another common trend among the band's releases. Though the album is considerably heavier and faster than its predecessor, it still carries much of Still Rings True's signature sound.
Lyrically, the album is an eye-opener. If I had to summarise Tear Down The Walls with two words, I'd have to choose rational Anarchism. I say rational because the Sex Pistols' flavour of the movement never grew on me enough to take it on-board. Personally, it felt outdated and too distant for today's generations to relate with. On the other hand, Still Rings True's style is primarily aimed at the youth; those who are only just stepping into the real world and are having a hard time sifting through everything that we're told to believe. The album doesn't make explicit references, but serves as a general guide to realising that not everything is always what it seems. In general, the band's lyricism is void of break-up songs, and the like. It's not to say that there's anything wrong with writing songs about how badly a particular girl screwed you over, but some bands tend to over do it.
A few songs that I'd like to specifically put under the spotlight are the following: What We Carry Inside is one of the most personal songs on the album and definitely one that's easy to relate with. As explained by Snyder himself, the song is about watching family and friends being consumed by causes such as substance abuse, religion, or even poverty, and not being able to do anything to change the situation. The song clocks out with Snyder repeatedly yelling we value our time here - something not enough people appreciate.
Until The Day's entrance is strikingly similar to Not This Time [I Wouldn't Call This Living]. This song's probably the most mellow and one of the longest of the ten, at four minutes and twelve seconds. Until The Day addresses the direction in which today's generations are heading and questions how much hope still exists. Not only is this a stand-out lyrically, but the music it's accompanied by is definitely some of the more diverse selection on the record. The structure of this particular song is unquestionably an overall improvement, ending with a slow, progressive breakdown.
Empty Words is an aggressive, fast-paced song with some distinct Metal influences. Basically, the song is an anthem to express the band's thoughts on today's scene, paired-off nicely with a short guitar solo.
In summary, the album is a worthy contender for any fan's top ten list. Unlike I Wouldn't Call This Living, my prediction is that Tear Down The Walls will appeal more to the Punk Rock/Hardcore half of the band's audience, while the former was predominantly a Pop Punk record. As I've already mentioned, a lot of the band's value lies in their lyrics, however at times the music did feel somewhat repeated, as a lot of the songs follow a similar structure. For those with a Punk Rock/Hardcore background, this may not be a concern at all, however Pop Punk kids may sense somewhat of a subtle departure. Nevertheless, the contrast is great, the album has shown a great deal of growth as no band should want to write the same record twice.
Remember, the album comes out this Friday through Third Time Lucky Rekords. In the meantime, you can stream 3 tracks from the album above.
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