- Emily
- My Heart
- Beautiful
- Disaster
- In This Moment
- Guilty
- World to Me
- Live to Die
- Follow Me Down
- Waiting
- Everything
- Part of Me
Since October is one of the loudest and overtly spiritual bands signed by Tooth & Nail Records—so much so, it's surprising they weren't added to the label's hardcore (Solid State) or Christian industry (BEC Recordings) imprints. The thinking is likely that this Bradenton, Florida, band is more accessible and marketable than either niche, even though they're open with their religious convictions and heavier than the average rock band.
To the credit of Since October, they rock hard very convincingly throughout their national debut, from the raw guitars and bass of "Everything" to the atypical rhythm of "World to Me." But then, melodic hard rock is the forte of producer Travis Wyrick (Pillar, P.O.D.), and two of the songs on
Since October also does well expressing brokenness and the need for salvation without relying on clichés or vague lyricism. The thunderous single "Disaster" gives thanks for the hard times that make us stronger, while "Follow Me Down" struggles with overcoming pride. "Guilty" demonstrates contrition and "Beautiful" refers to how God views us despite our incompleteness. The most spiritually penetrating track is "Live to Die," which concisely explains that perfection is unattainable without the forgiveness and new life found through Jesus.
That said, not every track communicates clearly. "Part of Me" vaguely touches on regrets in failing to measure up (to what?), and "Everything" copes with a damaged relationship (with who?). Then there's the small matter of repetition—each three-minute heavy rocker is generally interchangeable on this album. Which of course means if you love one song, you'll love them all; but if you're unimpressed with the radio single, don't bother. Still, Since October gets the job done, offering melodic hardcore that's clearly derived from their faith while also relating realistically to their pains.