Boy Sets Fire - Tomorrow Come Today

Don’t confuse this band’s sound with radio-fodder just because they are labelmates with Creed. Don’t underestimate their brutality just because they signed to a major label. This five piece from Newark, DE has been a favorite in the underground punk and hardcore scenes for the past few years. Although Tomorrow Come Today may not be as hard or technical as the band’s previous work, it definitely captures their essence. Boy Sets Fire has always been focused on social and political ideals, and Tomorrow Comes Today is no exception. The disc opens with “Eviction Article”, which sees vocalist Nathan Gray go from deep growls to a beautiful singing voice, and the strong drive of the song sets the pace for the rest of the disc. “Last Year’s Nest” is a top-notch Boy Sets Fire song, and the vocals soar out of the speakers through the words “so save your wishes for the sky, diluted and disguised, as a perfect fuel that won’t ignite, but hope will heal us all.” Throughout the record, Gray shows his inclination towards poetic refrains, which is best shown in the track “Management vs. Labor”. But, these guys are a heavy band, so where's that at? “Release the Dogs” is a hell of a song, first featured on the Live For Today EP, and adds depth and diversity to the album. Further adding to the range of the album is “Handful of Redemption”, which is Boy Sets Fire's catchiest work to date featuring a great sing-along chorus. Yet, the some of the power is lost on the latter half of the album and a few tracks lag. As well, when the band attempts to infuse their sound with pop melodies, "Foundations To Burn", it's best to just skip it and save yourself the trouble. So, they're doing well, but still have kinks to work out. Tomorrow Come Today is a good example of a band singing to a major label without compromising their ethics, and still managing to put out an over-the-top album. Their songwriting skills have improved greatly and Gray continues to outdo himself with succesive release. Furthermore, the untitled, hidden track shows a more mellow side of Boys Sets Fire and hints at the next effort from this band to be another evolutionary step. [www.boysetsfire.com]