The Fire (Senses Fail album)

The Fire
Studio album by Senses Fail
Released October 25, 2010
Recorded June 2010 at Salad Day Studio in Baltimore, MD
Genre Emo, post-hardcore
Length 38:33
Label Vagrant
Producer Brian McTernan
Senses Fail chronology

Life Is Not a Waiting Room
(2008)		 The Fire
(2010)		 Follow Your Bliss: The Best Of Senses Fail
(2012)

The Fire is the fourth studio album by American rock band Senses Fail and was released on October 25, 2010 in the UK through Hassle Records[1] and elsewhere a day later through Vagrant Records.[2] It is the first album by the band featuring Zach Roach on guitar, replacing Heath Saraceno. However Garrett Zablocki took over all recording duties. It is the last album to feature Garrett.[3]

This album has two tracks that are featured on Senses Fail's greatest hits album Follow Your Bliss: The Best Of Senses Fail. The two tracks are "The Fire" and "New Year's Eve".[4]

Promotion

Recording for the album began at Salad Days Studio with Brian McTernan in June 2010 with a tentative release date later that year.[5] Prior to its release, vocalist/lyricist Buddy Nielsen stated that the album "is a reaction and a release of a whirlwind of emotions that came from fighting for what we love and dealing with change and growth both personally and creatively".[5] Senses Fail posted a new song online titled "Saint Anthony" on their Myspace on August 26, 2010,[6] Vagrant Records subsequently released 'The Fire' and 'New Year's Eve' on their YouTube channel.[7][8] In addition, the band asked fans to volunteer to be in a music video for the song "The Fire", which was filmed in New York City on October 9 and 10, 2010.[9] On October 18, 2010, the band released all of the tracks from "The Fire" on Myspace.[10]

Reception

The album received generally positive reception. Staff reviewer Davey Boy of Sputnikmusic gave the album four out of five stars, praising the lyrics as well as the track arrangement, concluding that "in refining the band’s sound and style so effectively, ‘The Fire’ is ultimately a resounding success which meets its objectives."[11] Drew Beringer of AbsolutePunk.net was positive, commenting "Yes, there are imperfections (a recycled riff here, some flat vocals there), but overall The Fire is the essential Senses Fail record to own" and that it is "Full of aggression and just enough catchiness to please both types of fans".[12] Allmusic also gave a positive review, stating that the album "starts with a small spark that quickly builds itself into an emotional blaze that burns steadily across all 11 tracks, taking the listener on an exceptional musical ride" and that it "shifts gears from good cop to bad cop effortlessly".[13]

AlterthePress was more negative, saying "Whilst Senses Fail have proved to be consistent, 'The Fire' just about falls into being labelled as being 'safe,'" with a rating of three out of five.[14] Daily Dischord.com also called that album 'safe' and that "Senses Fail have yet again shown no ambition to break out of their comfort zone".[15]

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AbsolutePunk (81%) [12]
Allmusic [13]
AlterthePress [14]
Daily Dischord [15]
Sputnikmusic [11]

Track listing

  1. "The Fire" - 3:44
  2. "Saint Anthony" - 3:15
  3. "New Year's Eve" - 3:14
  4. "Safe House" - 3:18
  5. "Coward" - 3:30
  6. "Landslide" - 3:45
  7. "Headed West" - 3:12
  8. "Lifeboats" - 3:32
  9. "Nero" - 3:49
  10. "Irish Eyes" 3:23
  11. "Hold On" - 3:51

iTunes/Vinyl bonus track[16][17]
12. "Ghost Town" - 3:50

Limited Edition DVD

The album will also be released with a live DVD, which was filmed at a hometown Halloween show at Starland Ballroom in New Jersey. It contains over 90 minutes of live footage and interviews with the band, and was directed by Adam Rothlein.[18] The DVD features ex-guitarist Heath Saraceno, who recently left the band.[19]

DVD Track Listing[20]

  1. "Steven"
  2. "Bonecrusher"
  3. "Sick or Sane (Fifty For a Twenty)"
  4. "Irony of Dying on Your Birthday"
  5. "Lady in a Blue Dress"
  6. "Wolves at the Door"
  7. "Buried a Lie"
  8. "NJ Falls Into the Atlantic"
  9. "Rum is for Drinking, Not for Burning"
  10. "Bloody Romance"
  11. "Calling All Cars"
  12. "Bite to Break Skin"
  13. "Lungs Like Gallows"
  14. "Family Tradition"
  15. "Shark Attack"
  16. "Can't Be Saved"
  17. "187"

Personnel

References

  1. ↑ "Glasswerk.co.uk - Senses Fail Announce New Album". Glasswerk.co.uk. 24 September 2010. Retrieved 8 October 2010.
  2. ↑ "Senses Fail - The Fire allmusic entry". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  3. ↑ "PropertyOfZack Interview : Senses Fail". Property of Zack. 20 October 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  4. ↑ http://sensesfail.com/2012/04/04/follow-your-bliss-the-best-senses-fail/
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Senses Fail Return To Studio For Fourth Album, "The Fire"". Plug in music. 13 June 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  6. ↑ "Senses Fail:Saint Anthony". Punknews.org. 26 August 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  7. ↑ "Soundthesirens.co.uk - Senses Fail debuts new song "The Fire"". Sound the Sirens. 26 September 2010. Retrieved 8 October 2010.
  8. ↑ "Rockedition.com - Senses Fail - "New Year's Eve" (Official Lyric Video)". Rock Edition. 6 October 2010. Retrieved 8 October 2010.
  9. ↑ "facebook.com - ATTN NYC FANS: Senses Fail wants their craziest fans to participate in their upcoming music video for "THE FIRE"". Senses Fails' facebook. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  10. ↑ "Killyourstereo.com - Senses Fail stream new album". Kill Your Stereo. 19 October 2010. Retrieved 19 October 2010.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Sputnik staff review". Sputnikmusic. 21 October 2010. Retrieved 27 October 2010.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "AbsolutePunk review". AbsolutePunk. 29 October 2010. Retrieved 1 November 2010.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Allmusic review". Allmusic. Retrieved 27 October 2010.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "AlterthePress review". AlterthePress. Retrieved 27 October 2010.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Daily Dischord review". Daily Dischord. 30 October 2010. Retrieved 1 November 2010.
  16. ↑ "Senses Fail - The Fire iTunes". Apple.com. Retrieved 3 October 2011.
  17. ↑ "Senses Fail - The Fire Vinyl LP (preorder)". Mtsrecords.com. Retrieved 3 October 2011.
  18. ↑ "Thepunksite.com Senses Fail Announce Limited Edition Live DVD With new Album". Thepunksite.com. 16 September 2010. Retrieved 8 October 2010.
  19. ↑ "Soundthesirens.com - Senses Fail - Pre-order New Album 'The Fire'". soundthesirens.com. 4 October 2010. Retrieved 8 October 2010.
  20. ↑ "Senses Fail - The Fire (preorder)". Hasslerecords.co.uk. Retrieved 22 October 2010.