October Fall - A Season In Hell

[Tony Pascarella]

October Fall - A Season In Hell
Release Date: February 21, 2006
Record Label: Fueled By Ramen

October Fall may be one of the newest additions to Fueled By Ramen/Decaydence’s roster, but they have already gotten hold of the “How To Write A Catchy Song” manual and have even added a couple chapters. With A Season In Hell, the dark title certainly is indicative of moody, downbeat tracks, but the CD instead displays many of the complete opposite. Overflowing power chords, songs filled to the brim with emotion, soaring vocals, and smooth piano melodies are all intrinsic characteristics of October Fall’s sound.

The first five songs on the album are huge. Each puts the anthemic qualities that Fueled By Ramen albums are becoming widely known for on display for the world to hear. The production/mixing is rock-solid, and Pat D’Andrea’s ranging vocals are superb. After a while, the guitar riffs become a bit predictable, but October Fall manage to twist the songs themselves into easily accessible, palatable, and—most of all—fun stories. Sure, they are not all giddy pop tracks, but the encouraging “Walking” fuses the best of both worlds. It tells a somber story, but more than anything focuses on looking toward the future. It’s, in a word, uplifting. “Caught in the Rain” is as undeniably addictive pop rock as they come, and you won’t be able to repress it.

“Hey Hey” is probably the biggest standout from the remaining six songs, but “Keep It Comin’” gives it a strong battle. Both songs are fun, instrumentally flawless (although not overly complex), and go to show the mainstream appeal that October Fall is sure to encounter. These guys when they catch on will make it huge; mark my words.

Simply put, they are major label material and beat the living hell out of 90% of major-label artists. This CD is not perfect, but the band is just another reason that the Chicago music scene is thriving. The band could improve a bit lyrically, as they tend to fall into an overused category, but that is really the only weak element of the entire album. A Season In Hell is a great pickup for power-pop fans; just get out your dancing shoes beforehand.

Recommended to fans of Fall Out Boy, Cartel, and The Rocket Summer.

Links: Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/octoberfall) | Purevolume (http://www.purevolume.com/octoberfall) | Official Site (http://www.octfall.com) | Buy October Fall's A Season in Hell on iTunes (http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=PjIvm57kicI&offerid=78941&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fphobos. apple.com%252FWebObjects%252FMZStor e.woa%252Fwa%252FviewAlbum%253Fi%25 3D122012006%2526id%253D122012537%25 26s%253D143441%2526partnerId%253D30 )

[Jason Tate]

I liked the CD too, good review. But I can't listen to the whole thing all the way through. Everything bleeds together and I have to turn it off .. first 5 tracks are great though.

[StartingLine182]

Great review. I got it and I thought it was pretty good. Nothing groundbreaking, but a great summer CD.

[Tony Pascarella]

I liked the CD too, good review. But I can't listen to the whole thing all the way through. Everything bleeds together and I have to turn it off .. first 5 tracks are great though.

Toward the end it is definitely like, "Haven't we heard this before?" But it's definitely encouraging.

[Poultrylicious]

The “How To Write A Catchy Song" manual and the "How To Make It Huge" manual are all required readings for Fueled By Raymen bands. What's going on with Archie Star?

[Scott Weber]

too sugary for my taste. i can't get past a few tracks.

[Tony Pascarella]

The “How To Write A Catchy Song" manual and the "How To Make It Huge" manual are all required readings for Fueled By Raymen bands. What's going on with Archie Star?I think in a year or so, that's going to get really old. But for now it's doing well for them. Gotta give them credit for a good business plan.

[Badgers08]

I liked the CD too, good review. But I can't listen to the whole thing all the way through. Everything bleeds together and I have to turn it off .. first 5 tracks are great though.

took the words right out of my mouf

[elvis2x]

Just the fact that they toured with Ashlee Simpson are on tour with The Veronicas freaks me out.

[Tony Pascarella]

Just the fact that they toured with Ashlee Simpson are on tour with The Veronicas freaks me out.They probably got all kinds of ass, dude. I can't fault them for being smart guys :)

[DroppedUrPocket]

Boo.

[alaskanpunker]

too sugary for my taste. i can't get past a few tracks.

I agree.

[bigmike]

too sugary for my taste. i can't get past a few tracks.
ditto.

[Shatter_Glass]

Sounds alittle like SoCo

[Tony Pascarella]

Sounds alittle like SoCoSoCo does a much better job with lyrics and is a little more piano oriented, but I can see the resemblance.

[unwritten]

It's definitely a catchy and fun album. By the end of the year I won't remember them.

[zizou1790]

the singer seems like hed fit nicely in a boy band in my opinion

[ishotthepilot]

....makes me kinda want to throw up sometimes.

but yeah, i'm as much a sucker for a hook as the next AP kid.

[GoWaitInTheCar]

too sugary for my taste. i can't get past a few tracks.

I agree. Cookie cutter garbage.

EDIT: Tony, I'm sorry man, it seems like I've been only posting negative stuff on your reviews. Don't take offense, I like you, it's just our opinions on music are different.

[Blake Solomon]

too cookie cutter, good musicians, buts it not different enough from other things that are out there already, especially on FBR for me to put money down to buy this. Its def. fun to listen to, but for me, it has very little staying power.

[yanks2np]

Sounds alittle like SoCo


Soco is alot smoother with the sound, I liked some songs, but others are okay... What i did not like is the cover art. Looks like one of those Backstreet Boys/O-Town type covers to me

[Chico]

I was thinking of picking this up but didn't..can't remember what i brought instead though.

[Katie Schmitz]

great cd, i agree with jason though; i stop at about track 7 or 8

[Katie Schmitz]

I was thinking of picking this up but didn't..can't remember what i brought instead though.
get it!

[ever so sweet20]

this got higher then -2? wow. even getting 0 is too much for these guys, they blow dogs for free.

[konstantine94]

Soco is alot smoother with the sound, I liked some songs, but others are okay... What i did not like is the cover art. Looks like one of those Backstreet Boys/O-Town type covers to me

seeing as how i love soco, i must go listen to this now.

[fuller]

seriously, pick this cd up. everyone in this band is great. they're from my town and they might not be the best band ever but they do deserve some love.

congrats guys.

[knux]

I love this cd. Tracks 1,2,5, 6,7,8,9 are my favs. Great stuff. I bet they sign to Atlantic in the next month or two. If not by the end of the summer, I will shitmyself. I think Pat is going to make it huge with Archie Star as well. Probably a Jacks Mannequin thing. Use october fall to get the name out and go solo.

[patrickhowell]

these dudes are awesome, and the CD is great.

everyone go listen to track #11

[Jackie4vryheart]

Just the fact that they toured with Ashlee Simpson are on tour with The Veronicas freaks me out.

I'm not sure about the Ashlee tour, but, yes, The Veronicas are pop, signed to a major label, and huge over in Australia, buuuut, I was surprised to think, and now, say: damn, they jam live. their backing band is fantastic, and they appreciate them, introduce them and let them shine a lot more than normal backing bands are allowed to. the October Fall/The Veronicas tour, was actually quite good...

[Drew Beringer]

I don't like this album.

[weezer283]

this band will always suck for a lifetime kick them out of chicago! they're scumbags

[Sureshot182]

they are a VERY catchy band. i will probably have to get this.

[TyroneShoolaces]

i never liked these guys.
as people i thought they were douchebags.
i saw them live a ton of times when they were just a local band and thought they sucked.
i never liked their music before.

but i have all 16,000 songs of mine on shuffle, and the 'Caught In The Rain' song came on.
and i loved it.
i dont know what to think.

[Suchasucker]

After the first few songs, it seems to lose some momentum.

"Caught In The Rain" is one of the catchiest songs I've ever heard. Although, I must say I liked the demo version of "Hey Hey" a lot better than the album version.

Still a decent CD in my opinion, and worth the $12.

[Suchasucker]

as people i thought they were douchebags.
They do tend to give that impression.

[splutton]

the last track on the album is something special. love it.
Good Album, good review. Another sweet addition to my pop rock library!

[Tony Pascarella]

Talk about a love/hate relationship with October Fall... :D

[ArmaniMassacre]

hmmm...mixed reviews all around. i guess i'm in for a treat this week...i get to play with them on Thursday and Saturday....this should be interesting....

[DroppedUrPocket]

I can't take this advocacy of such bad music and bad people.

[Tony Pascarella]

Bad people? How so?

[Ratherbedead22]

I can't take this advocacy of such bad music and bad people.

you dont really know the whole band.

[Ratherbedead22]

SoCo does a much better job with lyrics and is a little more piano oriented, but I can see the resemblance.

well pat, the singer, is a big andrew mchamanahyaman fan. the last song on this record is him trying to make his version of konstantine.

[DroppedUrPocket]

Honestly, I don't know them as people, but I know them from first impressions, and when you act like a dick to the people you're working with and performing for, you don't deserve my respect. They could be the nicest guys in the world and donate millions to charity, but a few of them were dicks to my friends and I, so they can eat it.

[baton]

this is pretty solid pop rock album, catchy songs, not so bad, i enjoyed that, but i have to say that what's the best on this album is 2 guest appereances from patrick from fall out boy and hayley from paramore

[LilRyan732]

Sounds alittle like SoCo

Reminds me of SoCo, and Keane.

[splutton]

I Love October Fall
Woooo Wooooo.

[Loch_Doun]

Is that Patrick Stump doing vocals near the end of track 1?

[Ratherbedead22]

Is that Patrick Stump doing vocals near the end of track 1?

yeah.

[patrickhowell]

Honestly, I don't know them as people, but I know them from first impressions, and when you act like a dick to the people you're working with and performing for, you don't deserve my respect. They could be the nicest guys in the world and donate millions to charity, but a few of them were dicks to my friends and I, so they can eat it.

I don't know how they were with you, but I've hung out with these dudes and they were always awesome to me...

Everyone has bad days, maybe they deserve a second chance...

[Impreza WRX]

This CD is good but I just saw these guys live and I think they could use a little work. They seemed unsure of their songs.

[juan_believes]

it's so... ugh. it's not bad but it's just so overproduced and way too radio friendly. i think i should have gotten one of the NOFX albums i don't yet own instead of this.

[thisisrightnow]

This album isn't as good as I thought it was going to be.

I first saw them back in September and they played several new songs and they seemed good then, but I just don't listen to the new CD as much, with the exception of "Caught in the Rain"

And they made a bad move in not putting the demo version of Hey Hey on the album.

[AWilhelmPetter]

I was recomanded to these guys from a friend and I must say this is absolutly awful!

[LoudandQuiet]

I actually really like this band. It may be that I'm just really into this type of music but I love this whole CD. The last song on this CD, "If We're All Alone, Aren't We In This Together?," is my favorite along with the song "Tongue Tied." I can't stop listening to this CD. Whether that means it's going to become a played out and forgotten CD in a couple of months or it's going to become one of my constantly played favorites I have no idea. For right now, I am in love with them.

[petey536]

caught in the rain is insanely catchy

[luca455]

I bought the cd yesterday in milan....is not bad!
You must continue in this way

[Ratherbedead22]

they broke up.

[Loch_Doun]

they broke up.

umm yeah, welcome to last year.

[Ratherbedead22]

umm yeah, welcome to last year.

hey turd, i was just saying it for the people that kept posting in this thread. i probably knew about the break up before you.

[Scott Weber]

hey turd, i was just saying it for the people that kept posting in this thread. i probably knew about the break up before you.
you want a gold star or something?

[Ratherbedead22]

you want a gold star or something?

yeah. where is it?


douchebag.

[MFSchris]

this band has some pretty overly cheesy moments, but it's definitely a solid pop rock album. I personally don't understand how a band like cute is what we aim for can have so much buzz while this band remains barely known.

[EchoPark]

Any band who plays with the Veronicas can burn in hell.

[asian.]

this band has some pretty overly cheesy moments, but it's definitely a solid pop rock album. I personally don't understand how a band like cute is what we aim for can have so much buzz while this band remains barely known.
Most likely because they split, though still they are pretty unknown.

[Ratherbedead22]

also mike green pretty much wrote the record.