A Massive Pop-Punk Record from Merit Maker
A new release from Merit Maker delivers a combination of punk influences along with hints of alternative rock and some thrashy elements, all brought together with a fierce kind of energy that comes through raw and super fun.
The full-length Better Days Ahead album, is a record that spans 10 tracks gives you about half an hour of killer songs, starting with the intro track called "Set It Straight".
This track is one of the best ones on the record, in my opinion. I also feel like this is an outstanding track to actually introduce the record with simply because you do get some of the staples that you will hear throughout the rest of the album on this song.
This features thrashy guitars, loads of pop-coated melodies, belting vocals, that combination of color and edginess, and just loads of character and personality oozing out of everything.
This gives you a very pop punk approach but also features elements of Street and skate-punk as well, which I feel like is an amazing combination, and usually go hand in hand if a band is really doing it right.
Although this track brings you into the record incredibly well and does come as I mentioned, give you some of the sounds that you're bound to hear throughout the full album release, this is not a record you just listen to one or two tracks off of.
This is an album you listen to from start to finish because only then do you get the full spectrum of what it actually has to offer.
There are more than a few surprises around the corners, creative songwriting, that raw energy belting left and right, different levels of intensity, anthemic and catchy choruses all over the place, and loads more than it offers.
Tracks like "The Stolen Hearts" offer personal attributes and a little bit of Storytelling while having this sort of vast undertone that I enjoyed because it made the song feel a bit more cinematic.
I love the guitar work across this record because it hits hard, but it also brings loads of melodies which you end up feeding into.
This is an album that boasts a lot of musical hooks. Musical hooks are something that I feel like have been missing from a lot of great rock genres as of late.
There are always some great choruses that stick in your brain, and this album has loads of those too; however, musical hooks like guitar riffs and guitar hooks that just stay with you and work as an integral part of the song are all over this record.
I absolutely adore this because again, I feel like that's something that's just been missing lately, but Merit Maker had no problem bringing all this back into play, and I love them even more for it.
There are tracks, as I mentioned earlier, that boast a little bit more of an alternative rock feel at certain points, like "Upsides of Downside", which just has a little bit more edge than it does color to me.
Certain sections of this track hit harder. The energy throughout the record is always right there. It's through the roof, and again, true punk fashion, so you're always getting that excitable energy thrown at you, but songs like this one have a little bit of a harder feel in terms of their style.
It's a little darker and less pop.
While I'm on the subject of the record's energy, I have to just say this is outstanding. The whole album feels almost like it was recorded live on the floor, and everyone involved was feeding off of each other the entire time, giving it an almost live performance feel.
That kind of energy is just infectious, and great punk always has it.
The tone of the guitars and, of course, the bass are super on point. That bass guitar tone is sort of to be and a little bit warm but has a high-end peeking through, so you can hear every note played on the low end of it, but it also has a great treble aspect.
I feel like the tone of the instruments was very well thought out.
The drumming is completely outstanding here. Things are always in the pocket, but the drumming actually brings a certain liveliness along with that drive to the songs.
They are a little outside the box when they want to be, but hit hard and let the songs thrive right where they need to.
I think the most pop-punk aspect of this record is the vocals.
The vocals across the album are powerful, super melodic, and boast more memorable hooks than even the guitars do, so you have this soiree of punk rock influences coming through from the band and vocals, and it all creates a killer atmosphere.
As I said, this brings together that alt-rock, street and skate-punk, and pop-punk sounds together seamlessly, and to me, that's pretty impressive.
Most of all, the record has some honesty and heart to it, which is what gives it that personality and character.
You can't have a good punk rock record without any character, and this album oozes it.
At any rate, definitely take a deep dive into this one, and when you do, listen to the full album because it's super worth your time.
This is 100% for any sort of pop punk fans out there.
