Senses Fail released their newest album to the market, Life Is Not a Waiting Room, and it is sure to be another hit alternative album. Over the past decade or so, bands in the genre have added in several screaming techniques to add to the depth of their music, but this method quickly became overused and turned stale. Senses Fail is a stellar example of a band that redefined their style of music in response to this, and they have truly found their niche among a competitive alternative genre.
One of the big keys to this album's success is simply the continuation of the elements of their third album, Still Searching. On this album, the band introduced metalcore to their basic pop-punk background, and it undoubtedly changed their sound for the better. While maintaining successful parts of the first album and adding in these elements, they eased off on the aggressiveness of their sound and improved the overall value of the songs on Still Searching: better quality melodies and longer, better defined choruses. The album peaked at #15 on the US Billboard album charts.
Still Searching has a lot in common with their newest release, Life Is Not a Waiting Room. There is an element of varying styles on this album that makes this one a real hit in my mind – the styles are so different that the listener cannot really guess what’s coming next. Whether it is a Senses Fail pop-punk classic listen like “Fireworks at Dawn,” or a more metalcore tune, they seem to have a great sense of diversity in styles here.
For fans who enjoyed their first album the most, this one could come off as a bit of a disappointment, as the band continues to stray away from their sole pop-punk ways. Admittedly, there were some songs on the album that sounded just whiny, and they knock this CD down a notch. If you’re looking for a decent add to your alternative music collection, you still can’t go wrong with this solid listen.
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