ALBUM REVIEW: Brain Pain – Four Year Strong

The so called fathers of ‘easycore’, FOUR YEAR STRONG have earned their reputation as one of the most consistent and familiar bands in the pop punk and metalcore scenes thanks to their well formed sound and lively, wonderfully fun live shows. Having always had a sound that fused the riff lead hardcore of bands like AGNOSTIC FRONT and HATEBREED with the pop punk of BLINK 182 and NEW FOUND GLORY into an aggressively positive noise, FOUR YEAR STRONG haven’t so much evolved as they have streamlined and honed. Their sound now is no different to the sound of their debut albeit less cheesy synth sounds and far more riffs, but the energy and vibe the band exude has always been present. 

Teaming up with Will Putney for their latest record, Brain Pain has immediate added benefits for the band’s sound. From the off the guitars are thick and beefy, and they elevate the already infectious vibe to soaring heights. It’s Cool is the perfect opening song, swelling in its initial start before erupting into chugging guitars that kick off Brain Pain with explosive fervor. From here on out FOUR YEAR STRONG bring a collection of some of their most fun and memorable choruses they’ve penned since Enemy of the World. Get Out of My Head and Crazy Pills keep the momentum going all the way through, and also prove that the band have gotten an even better grasp of their sound than before. 

The title track is boisterous and serves as a fantastic mid album highlight as it boasts an unashamed metal skeleton that is decorated with sugary pop vocals. There is one thing that FOUR YEAR STRONG are able to do better than most, and that is the imbuement of effortless enjoyment in their songs. Even songs like Seventeen, with arguably the most uninspired chorus on the album, still shines with the polish FOUR YEAR STRONG have made their calling card over the past decade. It’s easy to see every song on this album fitting snugly into the bands already stacked live set, and given how the album never lets up there is potential for every song to make an appearance. 

Given that FOUR YEAR STRONG are nearly two decades into their career, and with Brain Pain being their seventh record, it’s nice to hear that the band are still working on their sound, even if nothing has been radically changed. FOUR YEAR STRONG have already tickled their acoustic itch with previous records, and seem to be thankfully rejecting the transition to a more melodically based sound at the sacrifice of the main meat of their sound. Working with a producer like Will Putney has allowed the band to really highlight a markedly improved sound on their heavy elements whilst also leaning on their duel vocal harmonies to keep everything from getting stale. 

Even if the progress is slow and selective, FOUR YEAR STRONG have done well to further cement their sound as one of the most enjoyable amongst their contemporaries. There are few bands that embody the hardcore vibe as well as the sheer silly fun of genres like pop punk quite like FOUR YEAR STRONG, and on Brain Pain they’ve taken the chance to tighten the bolts even further and come out swinging even harder. For the few missteps they made during the 2010s, this record is a fantastic way for the band to kick start this new decade, and it adds even more ammunition for the band to add to their already exceptional live performances. This is everything you would want from a  FOUR YEAR STRONG record, and it is 100% worth your time. 

Rating: 8/10

Brain Pain is out now via Pure Noise Records.

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