Making a significant impact on the Emo and Pop Punk Rock scene in the early 2000s, Story Of The Year’s history goes rather deep. Originally formed around 1995 out in St. Louis, Missouri, they first went under the name 67 North, which became Big Blue Monkey in 1998, before they settled on the name everyone knows them by in 2002. From here, they released the extremely successful debut album Page Avenue in 2003, followed by the heavier In the Wake of Determination in 2005. Keeping things going for many years thereafter, until more recently, they had not released a new album since 2017’s Wolves. However, on March 10, 2023 they returned with the brand-new album Tear Me to Pieces via SharpTone Records.
Their first studio album in nearly 6 years, some things have changed amidst the gap in time for the band. For starters, Tear Me to Pieces is their first album without Guitarist/Backing Vocalist Phil Sneed, but also marks the return of Bassist Adam Russell who left the band in 2014, who had not recorded any material with them since 2010’s The Constant. These trading pieces in mind, the remainder of the lineup – Dan Marsala on lead vocals, Ryan Phillips on lead guitar, and Josh Wills on drums – is still intact. Together they worked as a collaborative team, along with the likes of accomplished Producer Colin Brittain, to put together the 11 tracks that make up Tear Me to Pieces.
Looking back a little further for a moment, Story Of The Year has always really fit into several different genres, but for the sake of argument, Tear Me to Pieces truly fits more in the realm of Pop leaning Alternative Rock with some throwback textures of Post-Hardcore and Emo. In fact, this album will bring all the now grown-up emo kids back together again. This creative approach quickly became obvious in August of 2022 when the band released the first single of the would be Tears Me to Pieces. Entitled “Real Life,” it is certainly a throwback to what every high school relationship seemed to feel like back in the day. That in mind, the gold in this song takes place with the catchy chorus… “You and I are suicide, but that’s just real life.”
A prelude of what is to come with the rest of Tear Me to Pieces, much of its whole is like an anthem that takes you back to what would be considered the good ole days of Emo Pop. In fact, there are plenty of these types of vibes to go around. Although, it must be said that melodramatic songs like “Sorry About Me,” “Use Me,” and of course “2005” do give off slightly immature vibes. All of this being said, the tracks that the hardcore Story of the Year fans are really going to love here are “Knives Out,” fit with heavy guitars and lots of screaming, but also “War,” which is layered with synths, strong guitar riffs, as well as… more screaming. All in all, these are tunes that shine brightest on Tears Me to Pieces.
Simply put, Tear Me To Pieces is a solid album and it will certainly resonate with a particular nostalgic Emo Pop loving fanbase. For these reasons, Cryptic Rock gives this latest Story Of The Year album 3 out of 5 stars.
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