After three years of blood sweat and lyricism, Saint John’s pop-punk four-piece Sound Drown has released their debut LP, Selfish Reasons. This twelve-track treat comes just in time for the holiday season and is filled with high energy and memorable melodies.
“Selfish Reasons may have taken three years to complete, but some of the songs have riffs and ideas dating back almost a decade before I could even play an instrument,” explains vocalist Brandon Wiseman, “I’d usually envision or create a riff/vocal flow on my guitar and build on it from there.”
Each song on the album feels contemplative; full of the highs and lows of love and life, and sets the mood for the rest of the LP. From the opening track “Carousel” it’s apparent that personal experiences played heavily into the album.
The mixing and mastering of the album are noticeably polished, thanks to the work of Adam Dincorn of Undertone Studio, which just adds an impressive layer to the overall tone of the album.
“We appreciate that Adam is not afraid to tell us when something sounds off or bad. It’s important to have that kind of honesty when trying to create the best version of that song,” says Wiseman, “He not only does a fantastic job at mixing and mastering, but he has a sense of honing in with what’s best for the song by collaborating and sharing ideas with us.”
The bassline of the first track punches through the forefront of an otherwise restrained intro and then hits you with an energetic guitar solo and maintains that energy through the album.
When it comes to influences, Sound Down proudly wear them on their sleeve. Straight off the bat, “World War None” is reminiscent of Sum 41’s Chuck era, delivering a new age thrash punk vibe and dishing out a protest theme.
“This song is a total love letter to early/mid-’00s Sum 41. ‘World War None’s ideas stem as far back as 2012,” explains Wiseman. “The chorus came first, then the maiden inspired riff, but the bridge was a total clown show before Nick rescued it.”
“The lyrics quickly became somewhat of a protest song after some stupid close calls were reported from the US,” says Wiseman about the song’s hard stance on playing chicken with the Doomsday Clock. “Yes, we need to fight to protect our nation, but there were, and are plenty of unnecessary risks taken throughout our world’s history. Real people and families have suffered as a result of someone hiding behind a desk determining their fate. One-up-manship has always been a staple in human existence and someone will always have a bigger weapon. It’s only a matter of time before someone shoots first and I feel like the world needs to take a step back before we have no place left to step.”
It is songs like this that showcase the diversity that the group conveys. Shifting seamlessly from more mellow tracks like “Star Road” to the punk tones in “Tetris Packer” is not an easy feat. Despite being a debut album, Sound Drown have already put in years of honing and showcasing their work ahead of recording these tracks, and it shows.
“We’re incredibly thankful for everyone’s support over these past few years, and we’re super excited to play shows once everything is safe,” says Wiseman. “We love you, we care, and we’re excited to show you what we have to offer. See you at the show!”