With Gwen Stacy’s album, The Life I Know, being produced by Brian McTernan who has worked with From Autumn To Ashes, Senses Fail and The Bled in the past, I am sure that many people will instantly decide whether this album is something they will like or not. 

The first track, “The Path To Certainty”, has the hardcore yelling with melodic vocals down to a tee.  The music is heavy and, it has to be said, some of it sounds like it could have been from any modern metal album coming out of the American hardcore and metalcore scene at the moment.  Not that it is a bad song, in fact, completely the opposite, it is a catchy, memorable song with a sound and style that is very reminiscent of FATA.  It manages to grab your attention and sets up the rest of the album nicely. 

They are a band that seem to be able to pen a good tune, whether it be a crunching riff to nod your head to or a melodic moment to sing along with.  The former is shown well on songs such as “I Was Born With Two First Names” and “Challenger Pt. 2” where the band seem just as happy keeping things fully in the heavier end of their spectrum.  

I think that the best part of the album comes in the form of “If We Live Right, We Can’t Die Wrong”, “What Will Happen If I Hit Enter” and “The Fear In Your Eyes”.  Again, for these three songs a FATA reference can be made, all have great intros and blast off at a fast tempo, with “If We Live…” and “The Fear..” again bringing clean backing vocals to the fore and showing how well the band get these to compliment the harsher vocals. 

“Playing For God Is Playing For Keeps” and “Falling From The Fence” seem to be a bit of a dip in the album, and if there is a moment that you feel your mind wander, it is here.  However, “Sleeping In The Train Yard” demonstrates that there is more to Gwen Stacy than potential first impressions.  It at first feels like an instrumental as it takes over three minutes for the vocals to come in, and it made me realise that they also have some resemblance to the hardcore side of The Ocean.  It has heavy vocals throughout and sees the band slow things down a bit, which works well. 

“Gone Fishing. See You In A Year” and “Paved Gold With Good Intentions” keep things ticking over nicely before final track “I’ll Splatter You Like Jackson Pollock”, with it’s slight hint of Senses Fail, brings the album to a close superbly. 

Over the course of the album the band have managed to vary things enough that, while the songs have similarities, they are not too formulaic.  Gwen Stacy are that bit heavier than a lot of their peers while also bringing in melodic moments with the clean vocals, the problem lies in the fact that there are a lot of bands out there doing very similar things at the moment and Gwen Stacy will probably have to work hard to get themselves noticed above the pack.  If this album is anything to go by as long as they avoid bridges and Green Goblins, then they should succeed and live long enough to see a bright future.

Let us know your views on The Life I Know

Track Listing

Path to Certainty
I Was Born with Two First Names
Challenger, Pt. 2
If We Live Right, We Can't Die Wrong
What Will Happen If I Hit Enter
Fear in Your Eyes
Playing God Is Playing for Keeps
Falling from the Fence
Sleeping in the Train Yard
Gone Fishing. See You in a Year
Paved Gold with Good Intentions
I'll Splatter You Like Jackson Pollock

Line Up

Cole Wallace - Vocals
Patrick Meadows - Guitar
Brent Schindler - Bass/Vocals
T.J. Sego - Drums