This 7 minute opening song is not a surprise to old Marianas Trench fans but may seem odd to new listeners. With its many thematic changes, this song subtly helps listeners transition from Ever After into Astoria very well.
This is a long song and it would be weird for me to go through it like I've done for other songs, so I'm going to try something a little different.
Vocals: As always, Josh Ramsay's astonishing vocals shine in this opening song. He showcases his range in this song and it is really just classic Josh. The band is known for their group vocals and they're present here too. Throughout the song, the backing vocals are rarely done by Josh layering his voice and instead are done by the talented Matt (guitar), Mike (bass), and Ian (drums). They have their moment in the middle of the song and, as much as I love their vocals, I don't think they needed the spotlight for those few seconds. Their vocals during that part work well as an extra layer but they didn't need to be introduced with the rest of the instruments being cut off. The final vocals never fail to give me fission and I look forward to them every single time I listen to the song.
Guitar: The guitar work on this song is simple, elegant, tight, and gets the job done. The simple melody is catchy as hell and I can promise you that you will catch yourself physically moving to the power chords. With so much equipment at their hands, it would be hard to not sound perfect with their guitars. Throw in some space-filling effects and you've got a well-layered guitar song that sounds simple and good. It doesn't get better than that. I would usually say something about a guitar getting a nice solo in the song but this one doesn't need it.
Bass: The bass on this song is average and really nothing special. It gets the job done and does what a bass is supposed to do very well. I wouldn't even be upset except for the fact that it teases some above average bass at the very beginning and leaves you wanting more but it never comes.
Drums: The drums are pretty hidden in the mix and really aren't anything special. I appreciate the effort to get them to sound like they were recorded in the eighties but it falls flat.
Misc.: The lo-fi effect present in the song is not used to its full extent. The feeling I got from the fuzzy bass vocals at the beginning of the song made me think that they were going to take the opportunity to transition from the style that Ever After had into this new style. While I think that it does this, I don't think it does it well. The effect comes in at random times and doesn't feel significant at all. A wasted opportunity in my opinion.
This song is not afraid to not dumb itself down to get its point across. It is a deeply personal song while also being extremely relatable. Musically and lyrically the song is choppy, but not in a bad way because it is still fluid and the transitions feel natural. The entire song reflects the very real human emotions that show the flaws in humanity with lust, hope, and acceptance making this song a rollercoaster of emotions that feels more real than a lot of the music I have listened to. Josh bravely lets himself be seen and presents some of his most personal feelings in the opening song, allowing for the best experience for the rest of the album and making it one of the strongest songs lyrically by them.