Versus

This album exceeded my expectations. I was concerned to hear Emarosa with a new vocalist but wow! I can't get enough of it! I highly recommend this album to anyone who enjoys genuinely great music!

I loved Emarosa's second offering, so I snapped this one up when I saw it on the Rise website. This album isn't very 'core, but it's wonderful. I highly recommend it, since everything about the album is beautiful. The record, the sleeve, and the music.

Amazing album and great quality. The disc itself is white!! I had no idea! Apparently its a special edition so awesome!

During Johnny Craig's tenure, Emarosa was almost exclusively defined by his voice. Yes, the songs were great and the musicianship solid. But they kept it simple enough for him to soar over it. When he left the band, it was just about impossible to see how they could continue on. Somehow, they were able to find a vocalist powerful and unique enough to fit their style. Bradley Walden's voice is soulful and powerful enough to overlap with Johnny's style, but he also brings more dynamic range and playful melodies. Johnny is the singer that blows you away, but Bradley is the guy you sing along with in the car. Emarosa with Bradley is a lot like Dance Gavin Dance with Tilian, in that the groups are now a bit more locked in with the vocalist, rather than set apart. The music feels very much like self-titled part two. I would have liked to hear the band grow and push themselves a bit more than they did, but it's still very good. You still have the melodic single note leads against the rhythm chords on top of stripped-down beats that sound like they were made for stadium rock, similarly self-restrained like the self-titled compared to Relativity. My favorite tracks are the "heavier" songs, like People Like Me, American Deja Vu, Mad, and 1996. These feature classic Emarosa power and melody, restrained verses with soaring choruses. I also really like the songs that the group steps out of their comfort zone. A Hundred Crowns has a dark alt-pop sound, like Squid the Whale. Say Hello is kind of a march with MJ-esque vocals on top. Gold Dust almost sounds like a Paramore song. Weak spots for me are the ballads. I'll Just Wait reminds me of Jimmy Eat World's "The Middle", in that it was probably the weakest song on the album but the most accessible, and if pop radio weren't so terrible this could be a crossover hit. Cliff Notes also kind of drags. Both these songs are built on fairly "stock" chord changes like every alt-Christian song you've ever heard. Yeah I know the lyrics are very personal, but that's what I think. In terms of production, I felt there was a step back between Relativity and Self-Titled, and honestly this is almost another step back for my tastes. It starts with the drums, which are way too heavily sampled and the cymbals completely pulled out of the mix. That's great for pop music, but I want my rock drummers to sound like they are playing a kit. The guitars are mixed fairly low and dark as well. The vocals obviously sit on top and are featured, but they don't need to turn the rest of the band down as much as they did. I could make the same criticism for most bands is this post-hardcore genre, though. I just like a balance between natural sound and some of the pop treatment. Overally, this is a great "comeback" album, which maybe ties up all loose ends and hopefully sets the stage for them to really step out on their next album.

Best songs! There is not one song on the CD that I do not absolutely love!!! Emarosa is going to be the next band to become a household name. I definitely give it 5 stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Perfect no issues!

AMAZING! VOCALS ARE SOME OF THE BEST IN ROCK.!!

I love it. The white vinyl is beautiful and the sound is perfect!

Never thought any one could top the unique voice of J Craig but the new singer and the polish on this new album makes it the greatest so far, have been listening to it non stop

Sin palabras, un album espectacular, y el sonido en Vinil es simplemente inigualable

My daughter loves it

Originally I brought this album because of the newest album (at the time 131). I'm giving this 4/5 stars as whilst there are really good songs on this album, I find myself skipping 2 or more songs to get to the ones that in my opinion "are the good ones". Overall solid album highly recommend.