In 2006, Burden Of A Day blasted onto the hardcore music scene with a debut album filled with wrenching screams, stellar breakdowns, and relevant songs about needing God more in our lives. The band has now aligned themselves with Rise Records (The Devil Wears Prada & Before Their Eyes) for their sophomore release titled Blessed Be Our Ever After.

The album starts off with the title track; a short chant of prayer and a nice display of the band's great musical talents. It is followed by "Pt. 2 Sometimes They Do," which is an extremely fast paced song - the kind where you can't seem to even stop to take a breath. "Sorry Seacrest It's Casey's Countdown" is up next, an epic song that begins with all of the elements that make hardcore what it is. The song transitions into slower music and melodic lyrics, like "You stand alone, won't you sing along with me? Open my chest up, my heart beats for you. Give your pulse to me." The combination easily makes this one of the best tracks on the entire album.

"The Smile That Kills" focuses on the reality that life on earth is nothing compared to what comes next for those who believe in the Lord. The words "We have the comfort. We have the comfort of, we're here today and gone tomorrow" delivers that message clearly. "It's Lonely At The Top (Or So I've Heard)" displays not only musical talents, but evidences the band's depth as well. It's a song that paints a picture of being in a position with the opportunity to reach many people, and the importance of ensuring that you do, in fact, reach them. "My Shelter" speaks on facing problems in our lives, "Monsters Among Us" advises us to kill that "monster" that lives in each of us, and "I'm Only Laughing On The Outside" finishes off the album with a chant of "God will not be called dead. He will show himself strong in due time," bringing the album full circle.

Blessed Be Our Ever After is a perfect blend of deep screams and softer choruses coupled with standout musical abilities - all elements that I expected. But the band has taken the next step lyrically and has grown and gained more depth in their music. You'll find unparalleled lyrics like "hit the lights and brave the storm. And bleed forgiveness til it's gone" throughout the thirty seven minutes, making this album a must-have for any fan of the hardcore genre. Lastly, I wanted to mention that I recently heard that BOAD's lead vocalist Kendall left the band after five years. It was apparently on good terms and the band has found a replacement. They also have some new music (with the replacement singer, Kyle) up on their Myspace, so we can be assured that the recent changes do not foretell an impending breakup. I have come to expect a lot from Burden of a Day musically, and I feel confident that they will continue to exceed those expectations.

- Review date: 1/16/09, written by Kevin Hoskins