New Surrender

Anberlin's first work on a major label

No doubt that pop punk metal has obtained a lot with the appearance of Anberlin and especially its third creation Cities which has proved to be a real breakthrough. Naturally the fans expect no less successful follow-up from their idols after that and their hopes are fully justified at the end of this summer. Just twelve months after the release of Cities the collective has started recording the new material. Yet two quite important events have happened during the time. First, something has changed in the band's line-up: just before the release of Cities guitarist Nathan Strayer left the band and the new one has become Christian McAlhaney who previously played with Acceptance. Second, Anberlin has signed to a major label, Universal Republic Records, so its fourth work New Surrender is a kind of a debut which is why the guys have made enough effort to make it better than all the previous material. Indeed, New Surrender is the record we have been all waiting from Anberlin: smart lyrics and unimaginably powerful playing of all the musicians without exception place New Surrender among the best punk albums to date and Anberlin itself poses once again a hard competition not only to pop-punk bands but to heavy metal collectives as well.

The main part on New Surrender is played by guitars

Definitely the guitars play one of the main parts on the splendid sullen performance called New Surrender for they have become the instruments able to make one cry or feel shock in the hands of Joseph Milligan and Christian McAlhaney. The record starts with two most powerful creations The Resistance, especially impressing with its final chords and Breaking which is able to wake even the most sleepy listeners. Far from quiet is also the song Blame Me! Blame Me! whereas Retrace slows down the tempo a little bit demonstrating the great sounding in a more thoughtful register. Single of the record, a new if not much changed version of song Feel Good Drag from album Never Take Friendship Personal, proves to be rather a good choice for the role although there are much stronger songs among the tracks which may not be that radio friendly but illustrating fully all the band's talents. Anberlin gets probably the closest to pop style on Younglife providing the listeners even with sy-going chorus obviously meant for singing along and on Haight St. which is the most joyful song on the album. Contrasting with those two the darkest composition Soft Skeletons is even able to deprive the most sensitive of sleeping and the album closer, as it always the case with Anberlin, is the longest song Misearbile Visu (Ex Malo Bonum), that practically leaves us no chance to stay calm with its pessimistic lyrics telling of the end of the world.

An absolutely amazing album

Probably the most interesting moment associated with Anberlin's fourth album is its title. As front man Stephen Christian has stated, there comes a moment in everyone's life when one has to change and surrender the old habits and life style in order to gain a new self and this surrender is reflected in the record's title New Surrender. As for the lyrics it is important to note that the verses author is not only Stephen who always writes the songs but also new guitarist Christian, so Anberlin's work surprises pleasantly with its variety once again with all the songs having been written in the shortest period of time. One can find compositions connected with the reflections on the point of living provoked by the Iraq war and the musicians' friend's illness, songs about relations and some tracks inspired by Stephen's trip to New Orleans. No less important aspect is the production. Although the band has collaborated with Aaron Sprinkle for several years the new label deal meant search of a new producer, and a well-known professional in his area Neal Avron (Yellowcard, New Found Glory и Fall Out Boy) has become one. The result is an absolutely amazing album New Surrender that not only raises Anberlin to a new level but proves that no matter how successful a record may be the band can always make the things even better and outshine itself.