New Transcendence EXCLUSIVE Review!!! Stories of Solitude – The Wounded
Artist: Stories of Solitude
Album: The Wounded
Rating: 9.5/10
Track List:
1. Annihilation
2. Wounds
3. Betrayal
4. Lighthouse
5. Who Am I
6. Stories (ft. DJ Bean and Nick Fultz)
NC’s Stories of Solitude is a band that I have been following for quite awhile now. Founded by former member of Despised Virtue, Craig Danielson and Jordan Swickard, who writes for this site, they are a band who are really taking it to the next level. If you like heavy, in your face metal, this band is for you. Don’t get me wrong, they also have a softer side, which you will hear about later in this review. The bottom line is that this is a group of musicians who really know what they’re doing. If you haven’t heard “Betrayal” or “Wounds”, definitely go listen to them before you continue in this review. They are also participating in the Battle of the Bands to play on Warped Tour this year so go and vote!! It’s my honor and pleasure to bring you my review of “The Wounded” by Stories of Solitude.
We start out the EP with an intro track called “Annihilation” which is brought in by a chant of “We are the wounded, the wounded. We will rise, we will rise!” Then we jump into an incredible scream from Jordan and some electronic parts, followed by a guitar solo from Craig. This EP wouldn’t be the same without the intro, I promise you. Next we have their debut single “Wounds” which I reviewed a while back in it’s single form, but in terms of how it fits on the EP? It is easily one of the heaviest tracks on the EP. What makes this track one of my favorites on the album though is the middle part where Craig’s cleans come in and just pull you in. The rest of the track is heavy, full of breakdowns and powerful screams that will make you want to cream yourself. This track is followed by “Betrayal”, the 2nd track released from the EP. This is a track about deception and it’s not so subtle either. But in the end, karma is a bitch and will come back to bite those people in the ass. “After everything we’ve been through, you just threw me out the window! Your betrayal will be your undoing. One day, you’ll feel the sting of all the people you’ve pushed to the ground. It will come around back at you! It will rip you in two when it comes back at you!” The words couldn’t have been placed better to show the true intentions of this track. It shows that even when you think you know someone, they always have the possibility of turning on you. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer and remember that karma is a real bitch. My first exposure to this track was when it was just Craig and the rest of the band. They placed it on the Battle of the Bands page as a treat to people who voted. Now that I’ve gotten to hear the full track with Jordan’s screams added? It honestly blows me away that much more. Jordan’s screams are devastating, Craig’s cleans are incredible and the rest of the band just really throws their all into every single one of these tracks. Next is “Who Am I” which is probably the heaviest track on the album. This track is about what Craig went through as a child and has a very deep and emotional meaning to it. We close out the EP with “Stories (ft. DJ Bean and Nick Fultz)” which has my favorite SOS lyric in it “A friend of mine once told me, there’ll come a day when everything will be okay.” After hearing this lyric, you hear one of the most incredible solos I have ever heard in a song. The track overall is amazing, but these 2 elements together make it absolutely mindblowing. The lyrics to this song are very deep as well, but are full of hope.
Final Thoughts:
So you’ve heard what I have to say about the album. Are you sold on the band? If not, consider this, I have never met a group of musicians who are as in touch with their fans as this band is. They’re rising quick and they never forget their roots, they never forget their friends and they always keep us in mind. That’s the true essence of a good band, in my opinion. The EP is a masterpiece, there’s very little that I wasn’t impressed with and I definitely recommend you all going to pick it up on iTunes, Amazon, or whatever digital retailer you like to use. Go add the members and chat with em as well, they will definitely appreciate it!
Stories of Solitude on Facebook
Stories of Solitude on iTunes
Stories of Solitude on Amazon
