Wake: CD

Emerging in an era where pop culture is dominated by vacuous personalities with little of substance to convey, when ‘scene’ bands often concern themselves more with clever marketing strategies than the urgent issues of our times, Iowa’s For Today stand decidedly apart. The band’s emotionally explicit messages are torn from turbulent life experience, with an eye toward constructive change designed to impact their fans, the world at large and the band members themselves, in ways big and small. Plenty of bands offer up heavy breakdowns mixed with melodic choruses but few display the authentic passion, the forceful optimism and the unifying anthem making power of For Today.

Lead guitarist and melodic vocalist Ryan Leitru, his bass playing brother Brandon, drummer David Puckett, and vocalist / frontman Mattie Montgomery crafted For Today’s most diverse offering, their fifth album, 2014’s ‘Fight The Silence’. It built on the strengths of fan favourite albums like ‘Breaker’ and ‘Immortal’ infused with the skills honed on countless tours with contemporaries like We Came As Romans, Asking Alexandria, Devil Wears Prada and Throwdown.

The band’s potent blend of pummelling, powerful and evocative heavy music and outspokenly devoted lyrical force has earned them a dedicated following around the world. That passionate audience’s fervent support was evidenced by ‘Fight The Silence’s #32 debut on the Billboard charts.

Since forming in 2005, For Today have logged over 1,000 shows on five continents and have cumulatively sold over 200,000 albums in North America to date. The next chapter commences loudly with ‘Wake’. Recorded at Nature Audio, New Jersey and produced by Will Putney (Suicide Silence, Bury Tomorrow) ‘Wake’ sees the band ramping up their metalcore attack with unprecedented precision and passion.

“This is definitely the start of a new season for us,” concludes singer Mattie Montgomery. “‘Wake’ shows how far we’ve come. At the same time, it’s a good introduction to the band. You don’t have to be a Christian to enjoy a For Today show or buy an album. This is open to everyone. We’re all part of something very big together.”

Tracklisting
1. No Truth, No Sacrifice
2. Broken Lens
3. Forced Into Fire
4. Deserter
5. Bitter Roots
6. Wasteland
7. Hopeless Ambition
8. Determination
9. Flooded Earth
10. Time And Tide