Customer Reviews

Rise Or Die Trying

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

What better line could encapsulate this recording then the very line mentioned within the second verse of "Prepare To Be Digitally Manipulated?" Because it seems that with a record like this Four Year Strong is geared to cause more than their fair-share of trouble.

A quick synopsis of the band? Take the mosh-hardcore rhythms of a band like Bury Your Dead (of whom Guitarist and Vocalist Dan O' Connor was previously a member), the melodic hooks of New Found Glory, the symphonic elements of a band like Reggie And The Full Effect, and a lethal dosage of humor, throw them all in a blender and then crank the juice. That's not some overly-pretentious analogy description either, that's really what these guys sound like.

Although they've had a string of releases coming before this album (name 2005's "It's Our Time"), "Rise or Die Trying" is most officially regarded as FYS's debut effort. And what an effort it is. 11 songs of pure catchiness, balanced by a backdrop of hardcore ethic and attitude, and a demeanor that doesn't really take themselves too seriously. The listener can tell these guys love what they do, and they have such a great chemistry together because of that.

So after the brief but successful introduction track "The Takeover," "Prepare To Be Digitally Manipulated" comes out the gates strong with its beefy guitars and instantly catchy synth parts. Dan O'Connor and Alan Day both see a fair share of time on the mic, and their trade-off dynamic allows for many songs like "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Hell" and "Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die" to keep a fast pace, yet never seemed rushed or sloppy. Their guitar parts aren't too shabby either, combining bits of metal, punk, hardcore and emo all very precisely. Jake Mancusso's drums are fantastic, and never has a double-bass pedal seemed so fitting on a pop-punk record. Add in Josh Lyford's creative (but not overused) synth patterns and Joe Weiss' bass (highly prominent during the softer guitar parts) and the band everything they need to be successful.

As with most records of this type, song strength is importance. And boy do Four Year Strong have that. Every single track on this record could be an instant hit, and even within these 11 songs there's plenty of range. There's more hardcore-tinged hitters (happier hardcore of course) like "Beatdown in The Key of Happy" and "Maniac (R.O.D)" to satisfy even the most elite listeners, whereas songs like "Catastrophe" and "Bada Bing! Wit A Pipe!" could easily have broad appeal. There's not a single second of filler to be found here, which is pretty impressive seeing as how many records of this same type tend to have a few standout songs and then maybe the rest just filling space. Not here. This records has 11 standout tracks.

"Rise or Die Trying" is highly recommended for fans of hardcore-influenced-pop-punk like Set Your Goals, New Found Glory, Daggermouth or the Movielife. Once spin in your cd player will be enough to ensure that this will be racking up hours of your life for some time to come. It has already ruined mine (in a good way of course!) Also look into their first full length "It's Our Time." Enjoy.

This one of the best albums i have ever played in my life. I discovered four year strong a couple months ago on purevolume and havent stoped listening since. This is a spectacle of happy hardcore at its best. The live shows are even more amazing. The guitars and double bass driven drums pound while the vocals are on point. The lyrics are on another level. This music will have you moshing with your buddies and screaming the lyrics till your voice is gone. Buy this album.. or buy ten and give them to your friends and family. Even grandma approves.

By far the best pop-punk/melodic hardcore album of 2007, if not the last decade! There is no album I can more highly recommend. For fans of Set Your Goals & A Day to Remember.

Great instrumentation, arrangements, melodies, and some interesting lyrical moments throughout the CD. The overall sound mixes elements of metal with cool breakdowns, pop with catchy lyrics and melodies, post-hardcore with nice chord progressions and guitar moments, and good ol' sloppy American rock with the overall charm of this fun CD. The majority of the songs are awesome, but there are a few filler tracks that caused this CD to only get 4 out of 5 stars. However, there are several incredible songs that could be listened to over and over such as "Abandon Ship Or Abandon All Hope," "Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die," "Bada Bing! Wit' A Pipe!," and "Beatdown In The Key Of Happy," that make this CD well worth the purchase! This CD is for fans of Forever The Sickest Kids, Motion City Soundtrack, New Found Glory, and A Day To Remember.

Spastic breakdowns, hilarious song titles, humble lyrics, and a good case of metalically zany powerpop consists of the alias known as Four Year Strong. From the firepits of the underground, this five-piece hardcore/pop-punk outfit has made a relatively unknown run of 6 years, dating back from their debut self-released "Glory EP", and another full-length CD released in 2005 titled "It's Our Time" distributed through Open Your Eyes Records. As far as the metalcore-influenced pop-punk, guitarist Dan O'Connor is from the tough-guy hardcore manifest known as Bury Your Dead. That being said, this fully explains the volatility of their tempo, and ferocious breakdowns which pretty much sums up the entire album. While most songs seem down-right affable (in a good way), the condluding song "Maniac (R.O.D.)" distinguishes itself as the synopsis of the band's outlook; shouting "I've always heard that the good die young, there's little time left to prove them wrong" harmoniously over an old-school hardcore breakdown. The refrains are incredibly anthemic and true to the core which makes the album so identifiable. This leaves the rest of the pop-punk bands out there a foot-note in Four Year Strong's young but strong legacy.

I've known of this band for about a year now, and they just keep impressing me. This new album sounds much more mature than their previous EP, and will sort of make you want to imitate those silhouette Ipod commercials. Its the type of cd you turn way up in the middle of the night on a road trip. I'm a sucker for good drums, and I really love Jackson Massucco's fast paced drum style and use of double bass pedals. I give it a 5/5 which i really don't like to do, but its one of my most played albums on itunes. Enjoy!

I don't like to give albums 5 stars, but dammit, i'll make an exception for Four Year Strong. Rise or Die Trying is the perfect blend of catchy hardcore and synth pop. This cd hasn't left my car since I got it, and it's better than anything I've listened to all year (with the exception of Rascal Flatts, but I'm bias towards them anyway). If you like this check out their other cd It's Our Time. I love this band!!

They seem destined to be judged on surface impressions and lost in the shuffle of b-list power-pop emo bands but this is a band that transcends their genre like few others. Rather than following their peers in tempering their enthusiasm to make more rehearsed sounding music or just erratically spazzing out they've harnessed and focussed their frantic energy as a songwriting tool, throwing in all manner of musical flourishes, pinch harmonics, high bpm fill-filled drumming and vocals that are shouted as much as sung, but in a way that compliments and builds on a central rhythmmic/melodic flow rather than descending into experimental song structures. The way they write such intricate compositions but always keep catchy pop melodies as a first priority puts them in league with Coheed And Cambria. You're not likely to hear a more energetic melodic vocal performance anywhere. The few metalcore influenced parts are what lets the band down as they're handled generically and especially in terms of vocals something this band just isn't any good at. It's still my fave album of 2007 though.

I'm a relatively new fan of this band, but I love this album. Every note and every beat are spot on. The only disappointment is that the album is only 34 minutes long. Congrats Four Year Strong on a great album!