It would be tempting (and too easy) to say the release of St. Louis-bred rock unit Story of the Year’s The Constant is well, the story of the year so far. Oops, too late! But it’s not hyperbole to say the band’s fourth studio record debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard Rock Album chart; that’s just a fact! Another fact is that these guys have a fan base as huge as their hooks, and a new album as bold as saying well, they are the story of the year so far.
The Story So Far: The evolution of Story of the Year began with a case of monkey see, monkey new, with early versions of the group first calling itself Big Blue Monkey. Several lineup changes and a handful of indie EP releases later, producer John Feldman took interest, and by 2002, Big Blue Monkey evolved into Story of the Year, signed a recording contract with Maverick Records, moved from St. Louis to Los Angeles, and grabbed an opening slot on a Goldfinger tour.
With its lineup now solidified – Dan Marsala (vocals), Ryan Phillips (guitar), Adam “The Skull” Russell (bass), Josh Wills (drums), and Philip Taylor Sneed (guitar, vocals) – the band entered the studio to record its 2003 debut, Page Avenue. A stint on the annual Vans Warped Tour bridged the gap between studio records, a gap that lasted until October 2005 when In the Wake of Determination (No. 19 debut on Billboard) appeared.
Three years would pass before the group’s third effort, The Black Swan, took flight. “Making this record felt like starting over,” singer Marsala said at the time. “We’re like a brand new band. I think we’ve really stepped it up on this record.” He was right; the album charted higher (No. 18 on Billboard 200, No. 4 on the Rock chart) and sold more (1.5 million to date) than any of its previous releases, and catapulted them into major headlining status on the road.
In many ways, The Constant does resemble The Black Swan; it still mixes metal, punk, and pop into infectious sing-a-longs like album opener “The Children Sing,” “The Dream is Over,” “Remember a Time,” and the album’s smash first single, “I’m Alive.” So, the more things change, the more they stay well, constant. As Phillips once said, “We have some very unique, timeless, face melting guitar riffs and solos that have come to define our sound, without compromising the idea of a classic song.”
Still Alive And Well: Watch the official video for the very powerful single “I’m Alive”:
As A Matter of Fact…
* Story of the Year changed its name from Big Blue Monkey after the release of their 2002 EP Story of the Year.
* In 2005, they released the concert CD/DVD package Live in the Lou/Bassassins.
* Elvis Baskette (Chevalier, Escape the Fate) produced The Constant.
* Story of the Year begins a 13-show U.S. trek March 25, with After Midnight Project and others as openers.