Muffins Of The World

I love pop-mosh. "What is pop-mosh?" you ask?

Pop-mosh is a style of music that blends elements of metal, hardcore, and pop-punk, usually using a double-kick pedal, breakdowns, pop-punk style vocals, and some screamed vocals. And Four Year Strong is the perfect example of this wonderful genre.

Four Year Strong is a five-piece band out of Worcester, Massachusetts. They've released three studio albums to date, plus a cover album. Today, you get to hear about the masterpiece that is their third release: Enemy Of The World, the follow-up to 2007's Rise Or Die Trying.

Running in the same vein as their previous work, the boys of FYS have a knack for the marvelous genre known as pop-mosh. They have such a catchy sound to the music without sacrificing talent level like so many pop-punk bands have. The album opens with the ironically named "It Must Really Suck To Be Four Year Strong Right Now", and it hooks you instantly. The guitars immediately draw you in with a fast-paced riff, and the drums kick in moments later. Dan O'Connor and Alan Day take turns on lead vocals, in addition to harmonizing spectacularly. "On A Saturday (Tonight We Feel Alive)", "Wasting Time (Eternal Summer)", and "Nineteen With Neck Tatz" fall in line as one song fits perfectly after another.

Track number five is "Find My Way Back", one of my favorites on the album. With an anthemic feel, this song will have you singing along after the first time through. Keeping in the tradition of being awesome, the next track takes its name from Back To The Future - "What The Hell Is A Gigawatt?" - one of my favorite movie series. Three more pop-mosh-tacular songs bring joy and fulfillment to your life before the title track brings closure to this masterpiece.

With great musicianship, catchy hooks, and choruses that make you want to stand up, run around, and sing along, Four Year Strong has given us yet another amazing release. These guys obviously love what they do, and it shows through their music. Now, we only have to wait until they announce their next album.

Cwaps... could be a while, huh...

>Pawn