Exclusive Review: Autumn Stay – Sheep

Artist: Autumn Stay
Album: Sheep
Rating: 10/10

It’s 2012 and Waco’s Autumn Stay has just released their debut album, The Equinox. While fairly impressive, it wasn’t quite the breakout the band had hoped for. Spawning crowd favorites “Control Game,” “Dream Girl” and “Death to Him” it certainly got them off to a decent start, though. Fast-forward just under 3 years, several line-up changes, management mishaps and various other complications later and they’re ready to unleash the beast that is their latest EP, Sheep. Produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Shane Baggerly at Relentless Recordings Studios, this EP shows an entirely new side of the band. While you may have sensed some naivety on The Equinox, the AS crew have attacked Sheep with the finesse of seasoned pros. From the beginning, you will notice a major difference in the vocal delivery from Danielle Blizzard as she tackles each and every breath with precision and professionalism. I’ve had the chance to watch this EP grow from infancy and I have to say that Baggerly brought out their best and it shows with every line, note and beat.

Kicking us off with a bang is the title track/first single, “Sheep.” Immediately, we’re treated to a heavier side of the band. Previously, this side was only really experimented with on the early demo of “Sirens” which you may have heard, prior to the release of The Equinox. The track’s message etches itself in your mind, runs through your veins and leaves you with a new-found sense of courage. It touches on how every day we’re led through life, much like sheep, obeying everything the media tells us. Inevitably, we’re living like sheeps to the slaughter in the decay of what this world is slowly becoming. You can view the lyric video to that track below, done by Jorgan Redick of Neighborkid Productions.

One of the things I love about Dani is that she can go from melody to aggression in a split second. For that reason, the transition between “You and I” and “Ghosts” is one of my favorite parts about this EP. While “You and I” is, in essence, a mellow and melancholy-themed track… “Ghosts” teeters on just the opposite. “You and I” shows a vulnerable side of Dani as she sings about a struggling relationship. “What did I do, what did I do? This was just you and I, living our perfect life, now we’re just living a lie!” she sings as you can almost hear tears in her voice. This is a really powerful track and many fans will cling to it.

“Ghosts” is a track that is emotionally draining for many different reasons but namely, it’s the subject that hits you the hardest. As previously discussed (if you happened to catch my review of the track a few months ago), it’s a track about a stale relationship between a mother and her daughter. No matter what, all she wants is to feel that bond with her mother but the mother just continues to ignore her and live her life as if she is a ghost. In the end, she promises herself that she will never end up like her and that, should she have a daughter, she will give her every bit of the attention she never got. This track has one of the most intense bridges on the entire EP and the build up to it makes it that much more climactic.

In our final taste of new music from the band, we’re led into “Finishline.” This is the only track to feature a guest vocalist (in Deceived By the Fallen’s Evan Vaughan) and adds a whole new dynamic to their already amazing sound. It starts off mid-tempo, almost completely led by acoustic guitar until the first chorus, after which the entire band comes in. During the second voice, we begin to hear screams from Vaughan, adding a new dimension to the darker nature of this track. Centered around a failing relationship and the realization of that, this track is another one that will hit the listener hard if they’ve ever suffered any type of heartbreak.

The final track was the most surprising to me but, when you look at the bigger scope of things, it really shouldn’t be. It’s a re-recorded version of their hit “Control Game.” The sound of this version is 10x bigger than the original and really makes it come alive in a way that, I believe, only the partnership between Autumn Stay and Baggerly could pull off. Starting with fading in the intro, while adding in a heavier guitar tone and some harmonies in the chorus are just a few ways that this track really flies out at you now. A new breath of life is injected into the track in Dani’s vocal delivery with every note as well.

In short, for every shortcoming that the band or their fans may have felt with The Equinox, it’s made up for in abundance by Sheep. The professional and personal relationships of the band members, as well as Baggerly, really shines through. You can tell that this was a struggle (made evident by the near 2 years it took to release) but that struggle made them that much stronger. These battleborn Waco natives are now on the warpath and they’re ready to conquer everything in sight. Will you be on the front line or will you be led along like Sheep? Pick up your copy, via digital download, on September 3rd and see what all the hype is about! Releasing exclusively courtesy of The Angel Eyes Companies!

“Sheep” (Official Lyric Vide0)

Autumn Stay “Sheep” line-up:
Danielle Blizzard – Vocals
Zak Clarke – Drums
Stephen Douglas – Lead Guitar
Cade Elms – Rhythm Guitar
Ryan Herwald – Bass

Autumn Stay current line-up:
Danielle Blizzard – Vocals
Zak Clarke – Drums
Stephen Douglas – Lead Guitar
Aaron “Twitch” Umberger – Rhythm Guitar
Ryan Herwald – Bass