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Album Review: Our Darkest Days – A Common Agony
Our Darkest Days
A Common Agony - Bird Attack Records
Our Darkest Days are a Canadian quintet who deliver melodic punk rock, the band formed only four short years ago, in that time the membership of the band seems to have been in constant turmoil, but they now seem to have a steady line up, and this newfound stability preceded the recording of their debut full length, A Common Agony, that has been released via Bird Attack Records. The album features guest appearance by Denis Buckley, from 88 Fingers Louie, and Michel Garcia, from FORUS, to add to the already muscular sound that Our Darkest Days produce.
A Common Agony opens with an ominous roll of thunder prior to the opening power chords that signifies what you’re in for, from this point in you get a relentless assault of punk rock, but one that has elements of melodic hardcore hardwired into it’s DNA. There is no place to hide once you’ve put A Common Agony through your speakers, this is thirteen shots that are fired from the same gun in quick succession. Our Darkest Days have produced an album that owes a hefty debt to 90’s punk rock, I can especially hear an influence from Strung Out, but I also detected a hint of metal in the guitar style, alongside the punk and hardcore influences, and it’s this blend of styles that stops A Common Agony being just a straight recreation of the bands that informed their sound.
If I had to criticise the album, and that’s kinda what I do here, it’s that A Common Agony is relentlessly played in the same style, there is very little variation across the thirteen cuts. Whilst what they are damn fine at what they do, I always feel that you need some variety in a release, whether that means upping the pace, or bringing it down, just something that would highlight the fine dual guitar attack that is their hallmark, rather than this being the norm throughout the album. A Common Agony is a razor sharp slab of melodic punk rock that is only a few tweaks away from hitting the mark, this is a fine first foray by Our Darkest Days and this is a band that will be worth keeping an eye on.
A Common Agony can be purchased here
