Like others, I’m still bopping to the amazing albums we were blessed with in 2017. While I may still be listening to Paramore's “Rose-Colored Boy” on repeat, I’m still beyond excited for the MANY new albums set to be released this year. We have so many new, exciting releases to look forward to from a wide variety of talented artists and I cannot wait to see what all they have in store for us. I’m going to give you the run-down on what releases I’m the most excited for, so let’s get started.

Waterparks Entertainment: Their debut album Double Dare was, and still is, one of my most listened to albums. Waterparks have been hard at work touring alongside All Time Low, Mayday Parade, and then blessing us with their headlining “Made in America” tour at the end of 2017 and then they decided to keep the excitement going by announcing their sophomore album Entertainment. In typical Waterparks fashion, their first single “Blonde”, is incredibly upbeat and addictive – it’s been stuck in my head for the past few weeks now. The album is set to be released on January 26^th, you can pre-order it here.

Ice Nine Kills “TBA”: If you know me, I’ve probably forced you to listen to Ice Nine Kills at some point in our friendship. Their last album Every Trick in the Book became an instant favorite of mine. It was innovative, haunting, and absolutely brilliant. It left such a mark on me that I had to get a tattoo inspired by my favorite track “Hell in the Hallways”. This band never ceases to amaze me so I’m more than thrilled to see what they’re going to hit us with on their new album.

Tonight Alive Underworld: Their last release Limitless, introduced us to a side of the band we had never experienced before. With new albums come new risks, which can be scary for both the band and their fans. Tonight Alive gave us a new sound that unlike their previous albums, which were more traditionally pop punk. It was a mix of electronic and synth-pop influences but it still had that same charm that fans were familiar with. In a recent podcast with Rock Sound, frontwoman Jenna McDougall revealed that they’re working with Dave Petrovic, who previously produced The Other Side and that the recording process has been a much more enjoyable experience for the band. They released their new single “Crack My Heart” and it’s incredible. It still has a similar vibe to Limitless, but with more elements of their earlier material. They also released a video of their track “Disappear” featuring vocals from Lynn Gunn from PVRIS and I’m still recovering. The album is currently available today! You can order it here.

Real Friends “TBA”: For those that follow Real Friends on Twitter, you know all too well that they’re recording the follow up to their 2016 release The Home Inside My Head. Our favorite Illinois sad boys have been in the studio have some big things in store for us saying that this upcoming album has “some of their strongest and most creative lyrical content yet”. I for one, am always down to get hit with a wave of emotional trauma in the name of pop punk.

After this new record comes out there will be no more moshing, just straight GROOVING AND DANCING. Unless I tell you to circle pit.

— Real Friends (@realfriendsband) January 10, 2018

Cane Hill Too Far Gone:  Their second full-length album is said to be a more raw, honest portrayal of the personal experiences of the band and how they view themselves. The title track and first single of the upcoming album, “Too Far Gone” was a candid look into their experience dealing with LSD. It was a glimpse into the heavier, more intense, and unapologetically in your face attitude that they plan to hit you in the face with on this album. The band recently told Alt Press that the new album will showcase the “real” Cane Hill. “No makeup or gimmicks – just musicians playing aggressive ass music that’s meant to stick in your head and you won’t want to get it out.” I’m ready. You can pre-order the album here. Release date is set for January 19^th.

Fall Out Boy MANIA: Speaking of bands that change their sound with each album. After pushing back the release for four months, the official release date for Fall Out Boy’s seventh full-length album M A N I A is January 19th. This album is the follow up to 2015’s American Beauty/ American Psycho. Despite how people feel about the band’s ever-changing sound, I actually enjoy their later albums. I like how they manage to completely reinvent themselves with each new release, showcasing how versatile and inventive they can be. But I’m also one of the only people still bumpin’ Folie a Deux so, there’s that. The first single from the album, “Young and Menace” definitely threw people through a loop with its heavy EDM elements, however, Pete Wentz explained that it was one of the “wildest” songs on the album. Then came “Champion” which was still a change in pace, but still the same FOB we’ve come accustomed to. The concept behind the album features a combination of an “aggressive sound” and a lyrical nostalgia that fans will appreciate. They pushed the release back four months in order to revisit the songs and give us something they were truly proud of. Pre-Order the album here.

Panic! At The Disco “TBA”: The follow up to the Grammy nominated Death of a Bachelor has been on our minds since Brendon Urie gave a quick little overview in an Instagram live stream. According to Urie, the material he’s been working on is very “party” and that he has some very fun songs in store for us. As someone that added “Don’t Threaten Me with a Good Time” to every party pre-gam playlist – I am BEYOND ready. Brendon is nothing short of a perfectionist when it comes to producing the best work for Panic! Fans to enjoy so I can’t wait to see what he’s been working on. I’m ready to hit more high notes.

What albums are you looking forward to? Did I miss any? Let me know in the comments!

British pop punk band As It Is released their sophomore album Okay under Fearless Records on January 20^th. Since its release, I’ve probably listened to this album on repeat every day since, and that’s not even an exaggeration. Sticking true to their pop punk roots with an emphasis on the “pop”, the band decided to make their follow up to their 2015 debut album, Never Happy, Ever After, a sort of concept album. A lot of the tracks follow the theme of “It’s okay to not be okay,” which is something I can get behind.

Many of the tracks on this album mention focus on loss, mental health, heartbreak, and regret. The cover art and the promotional art have a 50s theme with a twist. It’s so fitting because the art has this happy-go-lucky feel, with bright colors, smiling families, and everything seems peachy. But if you look closer you can see the darker elements. The carefree girl going for a bike ride with a huge bomb in her basket, the happy dad and smiling child playing catch with a grenade, etc. It perfectly depicts the band’s message of “things are not always as they seem”.

The album kicks off with the track “Pretty Little Distance”, which I feel was the perfect choice to set the tone of the whole album. The track is poppy, upbeat and totally catchy, you’ll be singing this for hours after you first hear it. It has this quirky 50s-type feel and it focuses on how from a distance, things look great but it’s not always the case. In the first verse, you hear the lines “I stretch the truths till they lose shape. As Support beams bend and break. Watch reality’s slow cascade (But that’s alright).” The music video pairs nicely, looking like a scene from Grease with girls in flowing, poodle skirts and guys with slicked-back do’s. It was definitely the right choice as the band’s first single.

The title track “Okay” is one of my most played tracks on the album. It perfectly captures that all-too familiar feeling of knowing that you’re going through a rough time and things are kind of bad, and you just don’t quite know how to fake a smile and say “Oh yeah sure, I’m okay!” It’s something that almost everyone has dealt with in their life. This feeling of hopelessness and the reality of what it’s like to deal with mental illness and how everyone around you says “It’ll be fine” but you know the truth. The line that really stuck out to me was “so keep your ‘it’ll get betters’ and I’ll keep my ‘I’ll be just fine’s’. I’ll show you flashes of colors and hide behind my bouquet of lies.” That hit me deep in my soul.

Another standout track is “Hey Rachel”, the track dedicated to front man Patty Walter’s sister. The video was so touching and heartfelt, It made me feel bad for being a shitty brother and I don’t even know Rachel – nor am I anyone’s brother. The track is Walter’s way of apologizing to his younger sister for not being there for her when they were growing up and not paying attention to what she was going through. It’s incredibly heartfelt and the music video shows clips of home videos and gives you a nice little glimpse into his home life.

Other tracks that I absolutely adore are “The Coast Is Where Home Is,” a track about distance and remembering where you came from. It makes feel nostalgic and sentimental about a place I’m not even from (because let’s face it – I’m not the least bit sentimental about my actual hometown). “Still Remembering” is a heartbreaking ballad about saying goodbye to the love that you once held with your old flame and trying to figure out how to move on. The perfect way to wind-down and end the album. Another track I love is “Until I Return”. This is another track that gets stuck in my head, It’s so catchy and it just gets me in my feelings. The opening verse is “You can’t keep me sane when I’m out of sight. I still lose my way from time to time. You can’t keep me sane when I’m out of sight, I promise I’ll fight, but I can’t promise that I’ll be fine.” The song is about having that person that helps bring you out of that depressive slump and that even though you might be 100% fine all the time, you’re still fighting your ass off to make it.

If you haven’t picked up this album, I highly recommend it. It’s been my go-to album for weeks now, it’s got something for everyone to enjoy. While it’s a huge difference from their debut album considering how pop the sound is, it’s still the same As It Is that we know and love. Plus, I’m a huge advocate for mental health and I love the message behind the album and the fact that they’re using their platform to draw attention to the subject and t lessen the stigma makes me extremely happy. Catch them on their first headlining North American tour. You can purchase tickets here.

Here are the dates:

Get "Okay" On iTunes and in stores now.

Since their arrival onto the music scene in 2013, I Prevail finally released their full-length debut album titled Lifelines.  The Detroit based quartet is made up of, Brian Burkheiser (clean vocals), Eric Vanlerberghe (harsh vocals), Steve Menoian (guitar), and Lee Runestad (drums). Lifelines was released under Fearless Records, who snatched them up in early 2015, making them label-mates with heavy hitters such as Pierce The Veil, Mayday Parade, The Word Alive and more.

Though this the band’s first full-length album, they’re certainly no strangers to the scene. The band’s 2014 EP Heart Vs. Mind sold over 600,000 copies worldwide. After being featured on Fearless’s Punk Goes Pop vol. 6 with their cover of Taylor Swift’s Blank Space, they gained huge notoriety. The single sold over 300,000 copies and 22 Million plus views on YouTube, topping charts everywhere.

Lifelines is a delicious mix of rock, electronic elements, and melodies that send the listener on a new journey every time they hit “play”. Brian’s smooth vocals laced with the ferocity of Eric’s, create a unique sound that’s infectious. Whether you’re a fan of songs that are more soothing and subtle, or ones that pack a heavy punch, there’s something on the album for everyone.

Now onto my personal favorites from the album.

“Stuck In Your Head” – So, the title of this track is incredibly fitting. This track was the second single from the album, a perfect choice in my opinion. Something this band does right is creating catchy hooks that ultimately do get “stuck in your head”. It touches on a feeling that a lot of people can relate to, which is when a relationship hits a dead-end and it’s time to call it quits.

“Scars” – This was the first single from the album and rightfully so. It’s the first track on the album and it completely sets the tone of the album. Inspired by the band’s personal experiences with being away from family and dying relationships, resulting in feelings of depression and anxiety, the song is one of the more personal on the album. While it’s related to the band’s experiences, it’s still relatable.

“Come and Get It” – As soon as I heard the opening riff, I was hooked. The driving force behind the guitar, and heavy groove, come together to create this infectious track. To me, this track is their way of saying “We’re going to be all you talk about for a while so get ready because we’re not stopping any time soon.”

"Outcasts” – This track feels like it was written especially for the fans. The lyrics are powerful, charged and it’s like one big middle finger up to everyone that’s ever doubted you, judged you and every feeling of worthlessness. It’s full of self-acceptance and an unapologetic attitude for being yourself. My favorite line is, “We were never what you wanted us to be
A generation built from underneath.”

“My Heart I Surrender” – One of the softer tracks on the album, this track is about uncertain love and the worry that what you’re feeling is unrequited. Almost everyone can relate to feeling like the one you love doesn’t feel the same but still holding to that silver of hope. Emotionally-charged lyrics combined with soothing riffs creates a hypnotic sound. It’s probably my over-all favorite track.

Lifelines is available now, online on iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon MP3 and in stores at Target, Best Buy, FYE and HMV. If you want a preview of what you’ll be getting, check out I Prevail’s album stream on YouTube. You can also catch I Prevail on the road right now, you can find dates and tickets here.

Till next time,