New Years Day is a female fronted rock band formed in 2005 in Anaheim, California. They started out doing more pop punk style music and have now taken a darker and harder turn with their new album. They’ve had multiple members leave the band and their first record label disappeared and left them looking for a way to continue doing what they love. Luckily they persevered and Century Media snagged them up to put out an album that from the start of the very first track, I was hooked on their heavy, but rhythmic sound.
The lilting and dark intro of “Do Your Worst” sucks you in with the first note and then it kicks off harder and rocks out. “I’m No Good” has an infectious beat and chorus the thick sound that they get from the drums and bass really get you jumping up and down, add in the great vocals from Ash Costello and the ripping guitar work makes for a fantastic track. “Bloody Mary” has the band putting in an incredible amount of melody and energy into the song and the blazing guitar solo plus the background vocals really stood out on this awesome song. “Victims” has the band playing intensely and Costello puts everything into her emotive vocals on this track, and the band continues this to another winning track “Hello Darkness”, which has amazing playing, plus those plaintive vocals that grow to shouts and then back to being quieter. “Death Of the Party” has a nice mixed of heavy rock mixed with a bit of electronic and is able to combine them to great effect. “The Arsonist” has a great atmosphere created by the melodic guitars and tasteful keyboard playing. “Angel Eyes” features vocals by Chris Motionless from Motionless In White. The pair of Motionless and Costello is fantastic with these two very different vocals really complementing each other’s style. “Any Last Words?” is a much more pop punk sounding party track with its jumping beat and high energy; it’s a real highlight on the album and will sound awesome live. “Tombstone” stands out from the rest of the songs with this slow and gentle acoustic track that Costello sings soft and gently lyrics like, “Here we lie in love and truth in a coffin built for two/ when all that’s left is skin and bones/ I’ll still have love for you.” A very haunting song that made the hair on my arms stand up. “Last Great Love Story” closes out the album with a hard-hitting song that gets the energy back up to ten and has a blistering guitar solo.
The band has definitely shown growth and maturity from the various ups and downs of the last few years and has helped to make New Years Day better as songwriters and players. For a band that wasn’t sure what was going to happen to them a short time ago, to this album of song after tight song, they proved that their dedication and love for their craft was going to continue.
Victim To Villain is an album much different than what the band has done before. It’s obvious the band has shed their pop punk wings and become something much darker and deeper. From the image of the band straight to the core of the sound. Right from the start when you hear the opening track “Do Your Worst” you hear a heavier band. Followed by “I’m No Good” with a catchy beat and punk influenced sound. Front woman Ash Costello really expands her vocal range on this track and all those to follow. Bloody Mary is an interesting track of rock, with lyrics guaranteed and a solid guitar solo, this track stands out. Possibly the most emotional and dynamic track on the album is “Victims”. A melodic dark song with powerful lyrics. Costello holds nothing back in the soul screaming chorus. Death Of The Party is another unique track on the album. With a dance like beat, dark melodic guitars, and goth lyrics. This song is bound to be a hit on hard rock radio. The Arsonist is a melancholy track. With a soothing chorus and atmosphere created by melodic guitars and keyboards it’s a perfect dynamic mid way through the album. On the track Angel Eyes the band recruited Chris Motionless of Motionless In White to make a guest appearance. Already a wonderful track with dark keyboards and heavy guitars Chris Motionless makes this a flawless track. Costello and Motionless complement each other with their vocal abilities. Possibly the best track on the album. Any Last Words? is definitely a party track with it’s dance like beat. A much more pop punk track like the band’s older material. Last Great Love Story closes out the album with a solid heavy rock track of melody, atmosphere and emotion.
New Years Day has taken a big step forward with Victim To Villain. A mature cohesive piece of dark goth influenced hard rock. The entire album flows and there is no filler tracks here. In a scene saturated with many female fronted rock bands, New Years Day has majored to separate themselves from the pack with Victim To Villain. Costello has enough edge and range in her voice that she can please all listeners.
The lilting and dark intro of “Do Your Worst” sucks you in with the first note and then it kicks off harder and rocks out. “I’m No Good” has an infectious beat and chorus the thick sound that they get from the drums and bass really get you jumping up and down, add in the great vocals from Ash Costello and the ripping guitar work makes for a fantastic track. “Bloody Mary” has the band putting in an incredible amount of melody and energy into the song and the blazing guitar solo plus the background vocals really stood out on this awesome song. “Victims” has the band playing intensely and Costello puts everything into her emotive vocals on this track, and the band continues this to another winning track “Hello Darkness”, which has amazing playing, plus those plaintive vocals that grow to shouts and then back to being quieter. “Death Of the Party” has a nice mixed of heavy rock mixed with a bit of electronic and is able to combine them to great effect. “The Arsonist” has a great atmosphere created by the melodic guitars and tasteful keyboard playing. “Angel Eyes” features vocals by Chris Motionless from Motionless In White. The pair of Motionless and Costello is fantastic with these two very different vocals really complementing each other’s style. “Any Last Words?” is a much more pop punk sounding party track with its jumping beat and high energy; it’s a real highlight on the album and will sound awesome live. “Tombstone” stands out from the rest of the songs with this slow and gentle acoustic track that Costello sings soft and gently lyrics like, “Here we lie in love and truth in a coffin built for two/ when all that’s left is skin and bones/ I’ll still have love for you.” A very haunting song that made the hair on my arms stand up. “Last Great Love Story” closes out the album with a hard-hitting song that gets the energy back up to ten and has a blistering guitar solo.
The band has definitely shown growth and maturity from the various ups and downs of the last few years and has helped to make New Years Day better as songwriters and players. For a band that wasn’t sure what was going to happen to them a short time ago, to this album of song after tight song, they proved that their dedication and love for their craft was going to continue.
Victim To Villain is an album much different than what the band has done before. It’s obvious the band has shed their pop punk wings and become something much darker and deeper. From the image of the band straight to the core of the sound. Right from the start when you hear the opening track “Do Your Worst” you hear a heavier band. Followed by “I’m No Good” with a catchy beat and punk influenced sound. Front woman Ash Costello really expands her vocal range on this track and all those to follow. Bloody Mary is an interesting track of rock, with lyrics guaranteed and a solid guitar solo, this track stands out. Possibly the most emotional and dynamic track on the album is “Victims”. A melodic dark song with powerful lyrics. Costello holds nothing back in the soul screaming chorus. Death Of The Party is another unique track on the album. With a dance like beat, dark melodic guitars, and goth lyrics. This song is bound to be a hit on hard rock radio. The Arsonist is a melancholy track. With a soothing chorus and atmosphere created by melodic guitars and keyboards it’s a perfect dynamic mid way through the album. On the track Angel Eyes the band recruited Chris Motionless of Motionless In White to make a guest appearance. Already a wonderful track with dark keyboards and heavy guitars Chris Motionless makes this a flawless track. Costello and Motionless complement each other with their vocal abilities. Possibly the best track on the album. Any Last Words? is definitely a party track with it’s dance like beat. A much more pop punk track like the band’s older material. Last Great Love Story closes out the album with a solid heavy rock track of melody, atmosphere and emotion.
New Years Day has taken a big step forward with Victim To Villain. A mature cohesive piece of dark goth influenced hard rock. The entire album flows and there is no filler tracks here. In a scene saturated with many female fronted rock bands, New Years Day has majored to separate themselves from the pack with Victim To Villain. Costello has enough edge and range in her voice that she can please all listeners.