Wichita, Kansas’ Seasons After had stared adversity the last few years in the face, and have fought their way back to deliver their sophomore album fittingly titled Calamity Scars And Memoirs. Their debut, Through Tomorrow, was independently released in 2008 and then re-released two years later, receiving a positive reception overall, especially for their mesmerizing cover of Gerard McMann “Cry Little Sister” from 1987 Vampire film The Lost Boys. Since then their front man Chris Shlicting has been replaced by Tony Housh, and more recently Bassist Jessie Saint has taken over from Michael Byers, joining up James Beatie (Lead Guitar/ Backing Vocals), along with founding members Tim Rails (Drums) and Chris Dawson (Rhythm Guitar) . Some may wonder where Seasons After has been all this time and many may have thought the band simply broke up, but now they are back looking to make a move in 2014. Recollecting themselves, Calamity Scars And Memoirs was initially released independently until recently finding a new home with Pavement Records. The band has taken a more Alternative Metal route this time around, rather than the melodic Metalcore that dominated Through Tomorrow.
Starting with “Break to Survive” which is both heavy and melodic, as with much of the album it focuses on the idea of struggle, whether a personal one or as a band, it is clearly an enraged soul that wrote this track. “Lights Out” demonstrates the one issue with this band, they have moved away from the Metalcore but retain a Metalcore drumming style. They could have pushed the boundaries further with a more Rock style losing the triggers and machine gun drumming which some may feel spoil the song. Moving along, “So Long Goodbye” is a more personal song, and expressive, while “One More Step” carries on the same theme of letting go of a relationship that has gone wrong. Providing a polar opposite feel than the previous two songs, “I’ll Be Here” is about holding on, not letting go, but fighting on, the difference being that the other tracks are personal in nature whereas this is more about the band as a whole.
As the album moves along, “Weathered and Worn” is a retrospective view of life, with many rhetorical questions. This is followed by “Wake Me Up” where there is a rage at the way life throws trials in the way and “This Life” is about living for the moment and being positive about the future. Keeping the record diverse “It’s Alright” is a softer song, accepting of the way things are, while “My Last Words” is a battle between love and ambition. This is a reflection of something many successful bands have to contend with to make it and written as a letter, it is a passionate final track.
There are good points with Calamity Scars And Memoirs and overall it is enjoyable, hanging together well as a whole, keeping to the one main core theme of the struggles in life. The album is very melodic and has a contemporary quality which is pleasing. There are no particular stand out tracks though, just a cohesive album of well-constructed songs marking a point of a band in transition to take their careers to the next level. CrypticRock give Calamity Scars and Memoirs 3.5 out of 5 stars
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