Bayside – Cult

The title of Bayside’s sixth studio album, Cult, was inspired by the rabid, “all in” nature of the Queens quartet’s fans.  According to the band, their fan base has never taken a break from complete adoration and enthusiasm, making Cult somewhat of a love letter to their supporters, although not in a direct sense.  The album is an inward looking, thematic exposition of life and death, which in this reviewer’s eyes automatically propels it miles ahead of the relationship-based songs dominating their earlier work.  It’s this sense of risk taking and originality that becomes Cult’s true gift to Bayside’s supporters.

In line with the more solemn content, Bayside uses the dark topic as a reason to amp up their guitars and deviate from their poppier tendencies.  With Cult, the band furthers their evolution from pop-punk to alt-rock initiated with their 2011 outing, Killing Time.  Opener “Big Cheese” pounds the ground in an entrance of thumping drums that sets the tone for Jack O’Shea’s razor sharp riffs and Anthoni Raneri’s overarching vocal intensity, giving way to one of the most decisive mid-song guitar solos a band could make.  Even with “Big Cheese” serving as a coming of age for Bayside, progression also manifests in the notes of “Hate Me” and “Pigsty.”  By the time “The Whitest Lie” runs its course, the notion of Bayside as just another version of The Smoking Popes or Motion City Soundtrack has been all but swept away.

For all of Cults’ ambitions, fans will welcome the distinguishable vocal stamp of front man Anthony Raneri. Raneri’s clean narration serves as a commanding vessel from which to explore Cult’s inquisition into themes of mortality.  Early on, “Time Has Come” inaugurates the theme with a hopefully inquiry that dares listeners to ponder the legacy they may (or may not) be leaving with every passing day.  The nearly uplifting melody and playful rhythms juxtapose well against its darker neighbours.  As such, Cult comes off as an album with plenty to offer.  From the reluctant recognition of our earthly insignificance in “Objectivist On Fire” to the dark, Alkaline Trio-eque message winding through “Something’s Wrong,” listeners will find their brains hard at work decoding Raneri’s relatable riddles.

As much as Cult showcases Bayside’s adoration for their fans, it also serves a love letter to life itself.  With the recent passing of Raneri’s grandfather, step-father and step-brother clearly influencing the band’s current direction, the events seem to have moved Raneri to infusing new life into his musical ventures.  With Cult, Bayside truly has no regrets.  They’ve emerged from those awkward middle years as a band of musicians with a firm sense of identity.  And while Cult remains distinguishable as a Bayside record, the combination of a darker approach and a forward-thinking philosophy make it one of their best.