From performing onstage with All Time Low to playing on the 2009 Van’s Warped Tour, Set It Off has already decided their future for themselves. There is no stopping the Florida pop-punk quintet at this rate.
Lead singer and guitar player Cody Carson formed Set It Off. He started filming YouTube cover videos of his favorite band, All Time Low. From there, he decided to take a year off from college to follow his dream. Alongside Carson are Austin Kerr (bass), Benji Panic (drums), Dan Clermont (keyboards), and Zach Something (guitar). Their influences include Fall Out Boy, All Time Low, Four Year Strong, Relient K, Forever The Sickest Kids, New Found Glory, and We The Kings.
Produced by Paul Leavitt (All Time Low, The Dangerous Summer, Senses Fail, Circa Survive,) Calm Before The Storm is Set It Off’s latest release and is now available on iTunes. Coincidentally, Calm Before The Storm is a name they decided on in honor of their idols, Fall Out Boy. Though it sounds like they are a traditional pop-punk band, they proved they have strong musicianship and originality.
What I liked a lot about this EP was each song showcased a different musical element. “Introduction To Outselling A Salesman” has an accurate title – introduction. It features a strong keyboard rhythm throughout. This will be a great opener for any live show with the eased in introduction verse. “143” was one of the first songs pre-released on the band’s PureVolume site. It is driven by Carson’s vocal melodies on top of the guitars.
The record ends on a fantastic note. Reminding me of All Time Low’s “Remembering Sunday,” the acoustic “I Promise” explores a boy’s broken heart. Starting with a simple acoustic guitar riff, “I Promise” leads into a finale with the whole band singing along. That really impressed me. It proved how close knit the band truly is. More importantly, it showcased that Set it Off display a promise to look forward to.
Set It Off is one of those bands that clearly present their dreams through music. Both their hard work and strong musicianship separate themselves with the rest of the pop-punk genre. Touring constantly, they will not take no for an answer. If you like any of the bands listed above, Calm Before The Storm is just the beginning of the long journey ahead for Set It Off.
Check out Set It Off on: MySpace Purevolume iTunes
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