Smile Empty Soul
Smile Empty Soul
Review by Ed Roberts
Issue 3, Winter/Spring 2004
Smile Empty Soul first started in Santa Clarita, California in 1998, working very hard playing the L.A. clubs. The band includes lead vocalist/songwriter/guitarist Sean Danislsen, drummer Derek Gledhill, and bassist Ryan Martin. A few years after their start, the band scored a recording deal with ThroBack/Lava Records and released their self-titled album on May 27th, 2003.
"Smile Empty Soul" is one of best rock albums I have heard in a long time. One thing that makes it incredible is the band's ability to portray reality. In the song "This is War," Smile Empty Soul's heart-pounding lyrics seem to state that the United States soldiers in Iraq are simply following orders while fighting for their country; the song permeates the soldier's brains by stating that they would rather be somewhere else. "This Is War" has a soft, mellow beginning, but as the song progresses, the guitar becomes much heaver, representing the emotions of the band and those evoked by the war.
Smile Empty Soul's album also portrays the effects of drug and alcohol use with the fast-paced song "Bottom of a Bottle."
"Been scared and lonely. I've asked myself is something wrong with you? My girlfriend told me I need some time alone to deal with issues."
These lyrics are some of the most powerful pieces of the album; they show that as addiction gets deeper and deeper, you lose people and things that are important to you.
Finally, the song "Eraser" is a powerful rock ballad, which depicts the struggle of two people. As they fight, the reason for fighting becomes skewed.
"Is it me or is it you? Something isn't right. Of all the things that we could do, we just want to fight. Someday, I will find the courage to embrace you. Someday, I will find the strength to erase you."
Out of 10, I would give "Smile Empty Soul" a rank of 9. The only reason it falls short of a 10 is the fact that a few songs sound similar, with mellow intros and emotion-filled choruses. However, I would still recommend this album to anyone who enjoys rock bands that use several emotions and many guitar solos in their music.