Source: Album Artwork
Formed in 2005, New Years Day are exactly the kind of band you’d expect to have evolved from the days where emo moguls (…emoguls?) and scene queens ruled the internet. Lead singer Ash Costello‘s half-red, half-black hair is a true testament to this, as is the fact that the band has titled their latest EP Diary Of A Creep – a self-depreciating, nobody loves me title straight from the archives of MySpace!
The band proclaims that their genre is “Hauntedmansioncore”, called such because of the creepy SFX that they combine with a traditional hard rock sound. Their latest feat is more of a chance for them to pay homage to their idols, however, featuring five cover songs from some of the band’s favorite artists.
Kicking off with the only original song on the record, ‘Disgust Me‘ is a strong contender in the grand scheme of New Years Day’s discography. It has a huge chorus and just the right balance of components that make up a track so obviously specific to the band.
The covers section of the EP begins with ‘Bizzare Love Triangle‘, originally by Manchester band New Order. New Years Day’s version is heavier than the original, as expected, but they have managed to do it justice. There’s no butchering here, just a very different spin on a classic song.
Their rendition of Linkin Park‘s ‘Crawling‘ is a nice touch, since the band has quite clearly been influenced heavily by the late Chester Bennington and co. There are no frills to this song, just a simple delivery that maintains the originality of the track.
Another strong point is the cover of ‘Don’t Speak‘ by No Doubt, which closes out the EP. Beginning acoustically, it gradually gets heavier (much like the original, but then beyond) and allows Costello to explore the far corners of her range.
As far as cover records go, this one sets the bar. There are no gimmicks, no trying to hard, just a band being themselves while creating unique versions of songs that have shaped them. You can’t get much better than that.
