| If There Is Light, It Will Find You | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 16, 2018 | |||
| Recorded | June–August 2017 | |||
| Studio | The Cottage and Seahorse Studios, Los Angeles, California | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 44:37 | |||
| Label | Pure Noise | |||
| Producer | Beau Burchell | |||
| Senses Fail chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Senses Fail studio album chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from If There Is Light,It Will Find You | ||||
| ||||
If There Is Light,It Will Find You is the seventh studio album by American rock band Senses Fail. It charted at number 57 on the Billboard 200. [1]
Bassist Gavin Caswell moved to rhythm guitar,resulting in the inclusion of bassist Jason Millbank. [2] In October and November 2016,the group supported Sum 41 on their headlining US tour. [3] Following the tour's conclusion,the group took some time off to write material for their next record. [4] In March and April 2017,the band went on the Quince Años Tour,an outing to celebrate being a band for 15 years. Coinciding with this,the band released the stop-gap In Your Absence acoustic EP, [5] which was produced by Saosin guitarist Beau Burchell. By this point,the group had six new songs finished;Nielsen said the new material leaned towards the more melodic sound of the group's early days. [6]
On June 19,they announced they had begun recording their next album If There Is Light,It Will Find You. [7] Sessions were produced and engineered by Burchell at his studio The Cottage in Los Angeles,California. [8] By July 4,they had three songs done. [9] On August 2,it was revealed that former drummer Dan Trapp would be performing drums on the album, [10] which were tracked at Seahorse Studios in Los Angeles with assistant engineer Blake Bunzel. Burchell mixed the recordings,before they were mastered by Mike Kalajian at Rogue Planet Mastering. [8]
If There Is Light serves as the first Senses Fail album written solely by vocalist Buddy Nielsen. [7] He had not done the majority of the songwriting until three years prior,when he began developing his writing skills. After deciding on the direction,he brought in other people to help musically enhance the songs. For example,he brought in Caswell for guitar solos,as Nielsen considered himself a limited guitarist. [11] Despite all of the songs being credited to the band as a whole in the album booklet, [8] BMI gives individual credits to each of the songs:all of the tracks,bar "Gold Jacket,Green Jacket...","Is It Gonna Be the Year?" and "Orlando and a Miscarriage" were credited to Nielsen and Burchell. The remaining three were credited to Nielsen,Burchell,and Caswell. [12]
All of the lyrics were written by Nielsen,except for a line in "Elevator to the Gallows" by Wesley Eisold of American Nightmare. [8] He drew inspiration from several events:the birth of his daughter,his wife's near-fatal struggle with multiple sclerosis,the Pulse nightclub shooting,and substance abuse. [13] Musically,the album's sound has been classified as screamo, [14] post-hardcore, [15] [11] pop punk, [14] [11] and punk rock. [15] It returns to the rock-centric sound of Let It Enfold You [16] after having spent the preceding two albums – Renacer (2013) and Pull the Thorns from Your Heart (2015) –playing in hardcore punk/metal territory. [17]
"Double Cross" is a song reflective of the changing lineups of the band,with Nielsen stating it is not "meant to be angry at the people who left,but there is a little bit of that resentment for people moving on from music being their passion." [18] "New Jersey Makes,the World Takes" is about Nielsen's friends battling drug addictions,with Nielsen stating,"Over the years,I have lost a number of friends to drug addiction. This song addresses those losses and how I have tried to intervene in people’s addictions over the years [...] So many of us in this country have a friend or loved one who has lost their battle,and I thought it was important to highlight that struggle." [13] The song's title references an expression lettered on the side of the Lower Trenton Bridge. [18] "Gold Jacket,Green Jacket..." is a social critique song that was written with the goal of writing a song that would "sum up this generation for this time",similar to Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit". [18] The title is a truncated quote from Happy Gilmore,where Adam Sandler's titular character exclaims,"Gold Jacket,Green Jacket,Who gives a shit?". [18] Musically,the song was structured after "Mall of America" by Desaparecidos. [18]
"First Breath,Last Breath" is written about "the perspective of losing your girlfriend/wife while she gives birth to your daughter". [18] Nielsen's wife nearly died during childbirth in 2017. [18] ""You Get So Alone at Times That It Just Makes Sense"" references the Charles Bukowski poetry book of the same name. [18] The album itself is named after a line in a Bukowski poem,as was Let It Enfold You . [18] Nielsen wrote "Stay What You Are" with the intention of emulating the sound of the early 2000s band Saves the Day. [18] The track was written as a hypothetical,posthumous song about his wife,had she died in childbirth. It talks about her impact on his life and references one of their first dates being at a Saves the Day show. [19] "If There Is Light,It Will Find You" was written to be an optimistic closer to the album. [18] Nielsen commented on the song,saying,"What am I supposed to do when I become more connected to people,but eventually I'm going to lose them? It's all going to be okay because no matter what,there is a light figuratively and literally that always sort of shines into dark places and illuminates them." [18]
On November 30,2017,If There Is Light,It Will Find You was announced for released. In addition,the album's artwork and track listing were revealed,and "Double Cross" was made available for streaming. [7] On January 9,2018,drummer Chris Hornbrook parted ways with the band, [20] and was replaced by Steve Carey of the Color Morale. [21] On January 11,a music video was released for "Gold Jacket,Green Jacket...". [22] The video sees Nielsen annoying everyone he meets,either intentionally or by accident. He subsequently ends up at a house party. Nielsen said the clip was a combination of Falling Down (1993) crossed with the sing-along scene from Billy Madison (1995). [23] On February 1,"New Jersey Makes,the World Takes" was made available for streaming via Alternative Press 's website. If There Is Light,It Will Find You was released on February 16 through independent label Pure Noise Records. With a line-up of Nielsen,guitarists Caswell and Jason Milbank,bassist Greg Styliades and aforementioned Carey,the group went on a headlining US tour in February and March. They were supported by Reggie and the Full Effect,Have Mercy and Household. [13]
In May,they embarked on a North American tour with support from Sharptooth and Lil Lotus. [24] Following this,the group appeared on the Warped Tour. [25] On January 4,2019,a music video was released for "Elevator to the Gallows",directed by John Mark. [26] The clip features the band going through various tasks in an attempt to win Demi Lovato's affection,ranging from learning to dance to eating food she enjoys. Nielsen said all of the members were big fans of Lovato and had previously tried to get her to acknowledge them on Twitter,so they decided to make a video about that. Lovato subsequently saw the video,posting about it in her Twitter and included it as part of her Instagram story. [27] Following this,the band went on a co-headlining US tour with the Amity Affliction in January and February. They were originally supported by Bad Omens and Belmont. However Bad Omens later dropped off the tour due to signed contract agreements not being fulfilled. [28] They were replaced by Silent Planet. [29]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [14] |
| The Aquarian Weekly | Favorable [30] |
| Dead Press! |   [31] |
| idobi | [15] |
| Rock Sound | 8/10 [32] |
| Ultimate Guitar | 8.3/10 [33] |
The album peaked at 57 on the Billboard 200. [1] In addition,it topped the US Hard Rock Albums chart. [1]
If There Is Light,It Will Find You received generally positive reviews. Neil Z. Yueng from Allmusic stated the album was " heavy,cathartic,and honest statement from [the band]" and it features "punchy punk blasts while maintaining a trademark helpless and nihilistic mood." [14] idobi Radio also praised the album's emotion,calling it a "current punk masterpiece". [15]
All lyrics are written by Buddy Nielsen
| No. | Title | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Double Cross" |
| 3:25 |
| 2. | "Elevator to the Gallows" |
| 3:44 |
| 3. | "New Jersey Makes, the World Takes" |
| 2:59 |
| 4. | "Gold Jacket, Green Jacket..." |
| 3:34 |
| 5. | "First Breath, Last Breath" |
| 2:55 |
| 6. | "Ancient Gods" |
| 3:47 |
| 7. | "Is It Gonna Be the Year?" |
| 4:01 |
| 8. | ""You Get So Alone at Times That It Just Makes Sense"" |
| 4:21 |
| 9. | "Orlando and a Miscarriage" |
| 2:11 |
| 10. | "Shaking Hands" |
| 4:06 |
| 11. | "Stay What You Are" |
| 3:31 |
| 12. | "If There Is Light, It Will Find You" |
| 6:18 |
| Total length: | 44:37 | ||
Personnel per booklet, [8] except where noted.
Senses Fail
Additional musicians
| Production
|
| Chart (2018) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 [1] | 57 |
| US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard) [34] | 2 |
| US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard) [35] | 1 |
| US Independent Albums (Billboard) [36] | 1 |
| US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) [37] | 3 |
Cheap Trick are an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973 by guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, lead vocalist Robin Zander and drummer Bun E. Carlos. The current lineup of the band consists of Zander, Nielsen and Petersson. Their work bridged elements of '60s guitar pop, hard rock, and punk rock, and would help set the template for subsequent power pop artists.
Senses Fail is an American rock band formed in Ridgewood, New Jersey, in 2001. Founded by vocalist Buddy Nielsen, drummer Dan Trapp, guitarists Garrett Zablocki and Dave Miller, and bassist James Gill ; the band has seen many lineup changes, with Nielsen being the only consistent member.
Let It Enfold You is the debut studio album by American rock band Senses Fail, released on September 7, 2004, through Vagrant Records. After finalizing their line-up, the band released their debut EP, From the Depths of Dreams, in 2002, which attracted the attention of Drive-Thru Records. The label signed Senses Fail; it had a distribution deal with MCA Records, which allowed them to acquire acts from Drive-Thru. Recording for the band's debut occurred at several studios in New Jersey in April 2003 with producer Steve Evetts. Additional recording took place at the end of the year. Described as an emo and screamo record, several of the songs on Let It Enfold You were influenced by poetry and literature.
Saosin is an American rock band formed in Orange County, California in 2003 by Beau Burchell, Justin Shekoski, Zach Kennedy, and Anthony Green. The band released their first EP, Translating the Name, in 2003. That year, vocalist Anthony Green left Saosin due to personal reasons, and was replaced by Cove Reber in 2004. With Reber, the group recorded their self titled debut album, released on Capitol Records in 2006.
Still Searching is the second studio album by American rock band Senses Fail, released October 10, 2006 through Vagrant Records. A month after the release of their debut studio album Let It Enfold You (2004), the band had enough material for their next album. Guitarist Heath Saraceno, formerly of Midtown replaced Dave Miller in late 2005. They spent the next several months writing more material and demoing songs. They recorded over six weeks from May 2006 with producer Brian McTernan at Bearsville Studios in Bearsville, New York. Still Searching is an emo, post-hardcore and screamo album, though it featured less screaming overall compared to past works. It is a concept album that follows a character dealing with faith, heartbreak and depression.
Demetria Devonne "Demi" Lovato is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. After appearing on the children's television series Barney & Friends (2002–2004), she rose to prominence for playing Mitchie Torres in the musical television film Camp Rock (2008) and its sequel Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam (2010). The former film's soundtrack contained "This Is Me", her debut single and duet, which peaked at number nine on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
Life Is Not a Waiting Room is the third studio album by American post-hardcore band Senses Fail, released on October 7, 2008 through Vagrant Records. Following the release of the band's second studio album Still Searching (2006), bassist Mike Glita left the band. He was replaced by Jason Black of Hot Water Music shortly afterwards. In early 2008, they were demoing new songs, and by April 2008, they had recorded their next album at Salad Days Studios in Fells Point, Maryland with producer Brian McTernan. Life Is Not a Waiting Room is a post-hardcore and metalcore album about the end of frontman Buddy Nielsen's relationship and dealing with his alcoholism and depression.
The Fire is the fourth studio album by American post-hardcore/emo band Senses Fail and was released on October 26, 2010 through Vagrant Records. It is the first album since Zack Roach replaced Heath Saraceno on guitar, however Garrett Zablocki recorded all the guitar on the album. It is the last album to feature Zablocki as well, as he left the band in 2011.
Circuital is the sixth studio album by American rock band My Morning Jacket. It was released on May 31, 2011.
Falling in Reverse is an American rock band that formed in 2008 by lead vocalist Ronnie Radke while he was incarcerated. The band's original name was "From Behind These Walls", but it was quickly renamed to Falling in Reverse shortly after formation. They are currently signed to Epitaph Records. The band has undergone numerous lineup changes, with Radke being the only remaining original member.
Twenty One Pilots are an American musical duo from Columbus, Ohio. Initially a band, the group was formed in 2009 by lead vocalist Tyler Joseph along with Nick Thomas and Chris Salih, who both left in 2011. Since their departure, the line-up has consisted of Joseph and drummer Josh Dun. The duo is best known for their singles "Stressed Out", "Ride", and "Heathens". The group received a Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards for "Stressed Out". The band independently released two albums, Twenty One Pilots (2009) and Regional at Best (2011), before being signed by record label Fueled by Ramen in 2012. Their label debut Vessel (2013) became the second album in history on which every track received at least a gold certification, making Twenty One Pilots the first and only band in the history of music to see every song on two albums earn gold or platinum awards.
Renacer is the fifth studio album by American post-hardcore band Senses Fail, released on March 26, 2013.
Judah & the Lion are an American folk band from Nashville, Tennessee, formed in 2011. Currently the band consists of Judah Akers and Brian Macdonald.
Christopher Joseph Fronzak, also known as Fronz or Fronzilla, is an American musician who is best known as the lead vocalist and founding member of the metalcore/rap metal band Attila. Aside from his work in Attila, he is also the manager of record label Stay Sick Recordings and clothing line Stay Sick Threads.
Pull the Thorns from Your Heart is the sixth studio album by American post-hardcore band Senses Fail. In March and April 2015, the group supported Bayside on their headlining US tour. It was released on June 30 through Pure Noise Records.
In Your Absence is an EP by Senses Fail. It was released on March 3, 2017 on Pure Noise Records.
Bad Omens is an American rock band from Richmond, Virginia, formed in 2015 by vocalist, frontman and producer Noah Sebastian, guitarist Nicholas Ruffilo, and bassist Vincent Riquier. The band was later joined by guitarist Joakim "Jolly" Karlsson and drummer Nick Folio, releasing their critically acclaimed debut self-titled album in 2016 under Sumerian Records. Their second full-length album, Finding God Before God Finds Me, was released in 2019, with a deluxe version released in 2020. Their third album, The Death of Peace of Mind, was released in 2022, and spawned the sleeper hit "Just Pretend", which has become Bad Omens' biggest hit to date.
Sharptooth was an American hardcore punk band from Baltimore, Maryland, United States. The ensemble has released an EP called Chompers and two studio albums, entitled Clever Girl and Transitional Forms.
Hell Is in Your Head is the eighth studio album by American rock band Senses Fail. It was released on July 15, 2022 through Pure Noise Records.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)