RANKED: A Day to Remember
Written by Brighton Bischofberger
To say that A Day to Remember had a huge impact on my life would be an understatement. From late middle school, all the way through high school, I lived and breathed the Ocala, Florida Pop-Mosh group. I have more ADTR band merch than any other band ADTR poster-plastered over the walls.
Their unique blend of pop-punk choruses, melodies, metalcore breakdowns, and punk pacing just spoke to me. It’s incredible to look back and see how influential and massive this band has become over time. From being completely unknown playing tiny shows in Central Florida in 2003 to one of the biggest scene bands of the past decade. ADTR found a recipe for success so many other bands fail to do. They’ve managed to stay relevant over the years and build a dedicated fan base.
6. And Their Name Was Treason
The 2005 and is what you’d expect from a first album. It’s raw, rough around the edges but it carried their first promise of potential.
I’ve jammed a ton of songs off of this album, including an all-time favorite, ‘You Should’ve Killed Me When You Had the Chance’, is an absolute classic remastered and re-released on For Those Who Have Heart, but this album has the original version. ‘1958’ and ‘Heartless’ are in-your-face bangers any angsty teenage heart could mosh out to. On the flip side, you also got a strong sense of their lighter works as well. ‘You Had Me at Hello’ is a lighter ballad and ‘A Second Glance’ showcased ADTR’s early ability to craft a catchy punk chorus with heavy twists and turns.
The main drawback with this album, however, is that it feels very young. The band was extremely fresh in their career. However, there are areas where the inexperience shines through a bit. The production isn’t great and the lyrics aren’t the strongest. There isn’t a standout track and the album wholly feels dated. However, I like to view this album as a sampler and a respectable piece of ADTR’s discography.
Favorite Tracks:
You Should Have Killed Me When You Had the Chance
1958
A Second Glance
Heartless
You Had Me at Hello
5. Bad Vibrations
In my opinion, ADTR’s 2016 release, Bad Vibrations, got a lot more flak from fans than it deserved. The fandom wasn’t rushing to buy this album and critics judgements were fair. The album just felt a little flat and lackluster compared to previous releases. There are songs on this album that stand on their own and I still believe that ADTR did a ton of great things on Bad Vibrations that deserve credit.
This album is gritty - and their aggressive punk vibe shines through. ‘Paranoia’ leans heavily towards a punk-y sound and it works surprisingly well. Its fast pace barely gives you time to breathe before slamming your feet into the ground with the breakdown. ‘Bad Vibrations’ has a similar effect featuring a massive chorus and almost disorientating breakdown.
‘Exposed’ definitely holds its own throughout the record’s heavy tracklist; ‘Bullfight’ a truly underappreciated song with underated melody. It really displays the growth of the band since their inception. ‘Naivety’ and ‘We Got This’ are excellent pop-punk stand-alone songs. Just like their heavier tunes, ADTR showcased their mastery of composing a catchy pop-punk anthem.
Unfortunately, Bad Vibrations isn’t without flaws. The raw production slaps in certain songs, but falls flat everywhere else. Compared to previous albums, the tracklist songs lacks a wow-effect. The guitars don’t chug much, the bass isn’t rattling any speakers, and the drums don’t cut through the audio nicely. Bigger moments fall flat and fans struggled to get into these songs. Overall, the album was the least memorable piece of ADTR history. While I applaud ADTR for trying on a new style, this record is not their best effort.
Favorite Tracks:
We Got This
Naivety
Bad Vibrations
Paranoia
Forgive and Forget
Bullfight
4. What Separates Me From You
If someone asked me what the most consistent ADTR album is, I would point them to this one. It’s an extremely solid album with great tracks. WSMFY was the follow up to their hit album, Homesick and expectations were high. Fans felt it fell short of those expectations, it got written off as another unmemorable album.
Let me explain why this album is underrated. This was the first album where ADTR wrote songs that broke their own songwriting formula. For much of their career, ADTR crafted catchy choruses, heavy breakdowns, and genre-bending verses. Inside the band’s fans, however, a rift formed as it does when artists attempt to diversify their style.
‘2nd Sucks’ and ‘Sticks and Bricks’ are heavier tracks that hold their own compared to other ADTR classics. ‘2nd Sucks’ and ‘Sticks and Bricks’ still make appearances in their live sets and feature a ton of mosh-worthy moments. ‘All I Want’ encapsulated a hybrid sound tinged with alternative rock. ‘All Signs Point to Lauderdale’ is so damn catchy, but still finds a way to arouse a moshing crowd. ‘It’s Complicated’, ‘Out of Time’, and ‘Better Off This Way’ are all just awesome tracks that I think some people tend to forget about. These are perfect examples of those in-between tracks that ADTR really excel at writing and are some of my favorites off this album. Through twists and turns, soaring vocals and some excellent melodic guitar work, it’s an albumI wish people paid more attention to.
In its imperfections, the production falls flat and the guitar tones are a bit muddy. The vocals also don’t cut through the mix well. This album is still a solid piece of the ADTR catalogue and features a few worthwhile tracks.
Favorite Tracks:
This is the House That Doubt Built
2nd Sucks
Sticks and Bricks
It’s Complicated
All Signs Point to Lauderdale
All I Want
Better Off this Way
3. For Those Who Have Heart
This album was huge for ADTR. It wasn’t the breakout album topping the charts, but it was damn close. This was the album that made people in the scene pay attention to the boys. It’s the album that placed them on the music industry’s map.
Starting off with ‘Fast Forward to 2012’, you know this album is ready to show you some hits. Speedy punk riffs, chugging, and hardcore breakdowns hit you in the face. Much of the album carries this same pace and maneuvers between hardcore riffing and catchy punk jams. ‘The Danger in Starting a Fire’, ‘A Shot in the Dark’, ‘Show em’ the Ropes’ are all great examples of this balance between the two genres.
Of course, the fan favorites from this album are ADTR’s best written songs. ‘The Plot to Bomb the Panhandle’ and ‘Monument’ have become ADTR classics. Both songs possess extremely catchy punk elements, good pacing, and an impacting heavy sound.
The highs of this album wildy outmatch the downsides. The production is clear, artful lyrics, and McKinnon’s melodic vocals he knows how to showcase. Shelnutt’s drum work in his debut with the band is stellar and adds a ton to each song. The guitar work of Neil Westfall and former guitarist Tom Denney really work well to incorporate the hardcore and punk influences as there is a ton of panned (Left and Right Earbud) trade off chugging and catchy chord progressions. The basslines add some groove and balance to the mix (as well as a cover of Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Since U Been Gone’ ).
As solid and excellent as a lot of these songs are, there are little things to pick on this album for. This album lacks the diversity of their others and many of the songs share a similar structure. Not entirely a bad thing, but the tracks have a tendency to audibly blend into one another so distinguishing one track from another isn’t always easy. With few mistakes in the eyes of fans, this album became a scene kid classic.
Favorite Tracks:
The Plot to Bomb the Panhandle
Monument
A Shot in the Dark
You Should’ve Killed Me When You Had the Chance
The Danger in Starting a Fire
Since U Been Gone
Here’s to the Past
Fast Forward to 2012
2. Common Courtesy
This album met and exceeded a lot of expectations. It’s one of the best written, best produced, and best instrumental albums of their career. At a point where they feared they wouldn’t get to make this album, the boys put out something special.
The album kicks off with a hometown love letter ‘City of Ocala’. It’s classic ADTR pop punk. It’s also got a ton of energy to set the tone of the album. Then leading into ‘Right Back at it Again’, an excellent combination of easy core chugging, pop punk melodies, beatboxing, and arguably McKinnon’s best choral vocals.
McKinnon also proves he gets his way with acoustic ballads. Both ’I Surrender’ and ’I’m Already Gone’ fit the bill very well. ’Life @ 11’ is a really solid track that feels a bit like a sequel to ‘Better Off This Way‘, but does enough to be unique and not copy. ‘Best of Me’ is a great song with a greater guitar riff introducing of post-hardcore and modern rock elements throughout. ‘End of Me‘ is moody, it’s massive, and it takes you on a ride. Kevin Skaff’s guitar leads this song and guides you through the ups and downs of McKinnon’s soft verses and roaring choruses. ‘Dead & Buried‘ is a classic ADTR romp with solid breakdowns and heavy sections. ‘Violence (Enough is Enough)‘ is also a really unique track that carefully ties together a dark atmosphere to go with its heaviness.
The guitars are clear, defined, but and meaty when they need to be. The bass is very present and provides an excellent backbone to the mix. The drumming cuts through but not nearly as much as McKinnon's voice. His cleans sound so strong and clear; the harmonies between him and Skaff are excellent. Every effort on this album overflows with emotion. An impressive work from the top down and there aren’t too many unlikeable tracks. It’s a cohesive album displaying the band’s newfound maturity in songwriting.
Favorite Tracks:
City of Ocala
Right Back at it Again
Sometimes You’re the Hammer, Sometimes You’re the Nail
Dead & Buried
End of Me
Life @ 11
I’m Already Gone
I Surrender
Same Book, but Never the Same Page
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Homesick
This is the album where it all started for them. This was their breakout. This album perfectly combined the band’s unique element into a singular masterpiece. It really was a turning point for the band and a huge inspiration to newer, undiscovered bands. Once this album came out, everyone wanted to do what ADTR was doing.
The opening chants in ’Downfall of Us All’ make you feel something different. You sense the drive; you feel the energy radiating. This album has something to say and it wasn’t wasting it’s time saying it. The ultimate pop-mosh anthem, ’My Life for Hire’ carries a heavy and catchy melody throughout. “I’m Made of Wax Larry, What Are You Made Of?” is a punk track that once nailing its breakdown with Mike Hranica of The Devil Wears Prada.
’Have Faith in Me’ is an excellent ballad and change of pace that still providing up-tempo moments. ’Homesick’ and ’Another Song About the Weekend’ hit their pop punk formula on the head. ’Another Song About the Weekend’ is another one of my favorite deep cuts. ’If It Means a Lot to You’ is an emotional acoustic ballad with a big ending. The perfect album closer. McKinnon puts in an excellent vocal performance with meaty screams and solid cleans throughout. Lyrically, the whole album works together extremely well. Written primarily while on tour, Homesick revolves around exactly that theme. The feeling of being on tour and how it affects family, friends, and significant others. Each song has its own lyrical story and sticks to the overall theme. Every song has its own energy and fully encompasses ADTR’s signature sound. This is the essential ADTR album.
Favorite Tracks:
Downfall of Us All
My Life for Hire
NJ Legion Iced Tea
Another Song About the Weekend
I’m Made of Wax Larry, What Are You Made of?
Mr. Highway’s Thinking About the Weekend
If It Means A lot to You
Homesick
Have Faith in Me
ADTR has been one of the biggest scene bands of the past decade. It’s been an amazing ride so far and with a new album titled You’re Welcome and new single, ‘Degenerates’, it’s exciting to see what they’re going to come up with next. Thanks for reading and until next time scene readers!