A Day To Remember have been biding their time, yet again for another three damn years, writing and recording their sixth studio album. The outcome of Bad Vibrations however, proves to have distressed content that finally shifts them from the overbearing anthem necessity and actually provides their audience with something stripped back and very real.
A Day To Remember’s previous album Common Courtesy was the starting point for fan division.
Leaving some hardcore fans with a knuckle dragging experience, rather than the hair raising familiarity others felt from their previous work, the band stuck to their guns while song experimentation took a backseat. But the moment has come where the five-piece have selectively delved back into their roots, tearing up all of the progressive song polishing and sound deviation to deliver music that is arguably some of their heaviest for six years.
Emotional torment will always be more relatable than any anthem-packed back catalogue and with tracks “Exposed,” “Paranoia,” and “Bullfight” bring thick thrash/punk elements back to the bands repertoire (sandwiched together with some classic 2009 A Day To Remember), it is apparent the road that the Californian quintet should maintain travelling down for music development.
“Justified” stands out on Bad Vibrations and is clearly dedicated to instructing people to coexist with contentment, instead of living a life thrust upon you under circumstance that you never desired.
Nevertheless, with the positives being brought to light, Bad Vibrations is still not a perfect album.
Songs such as “Naivety” have no place on this LP and although Jeremy McKinnon’s scream is very recognisable, it is showing signs of deterioration with each release, forming a more hardcore-based vocal point as the bands lack of bass amplification in production leaves their breakdowns slightly hollow.
Most hardcore fans may disagree that Bad Vibrations is a strong addition to their continuing work, but as album experimentation goes, this is a promising start to a new direction for A Day To Remember.