Back in 2006, while looking for some new music, I heard a song called "High Noon" and the chants of "cowboys never die." From that moment on, I was lured into the screams and breakdowns of a newly signed band known as Burden Of A Day. Five guys from Sarasota, Florida who (judging by their tunes) really love their music fast and loud. The band formed in 2004, and a couple of years later released their first full-length album, Pilots & Paper Planes"

The album opens with "For Tomorrow We Die," a loud blast foreshadowing the amazing tracks that are to follow on the entire album. It's a song about God turning us into something new and leading us in our lives. "High Noon" follows without skipping a single beat - literally. It's a song of God's redemption and having a life in heaven waiting for us when we leave this life. Classic lyrics like "Swing low sweet chariot, carry me home" mix with screams of "when life ends, life beings" making a perfect blend. Another great song, perhaps the best on the album, is "No Blood, No Foul." The breakdowns are sweet in this song about the realization that He is in control of everything and our brokenness can only be healed by Him, a message carried by lyrics like, "The struggle for our very soul, the struggle was not ours at all." It's a masterpiece.

"Cupid Missed His Mark" has amazing drumming, while "Escapism Is An Art Form" showcases the great guitar work from the band. "Ashes To Ashes" is one of those songs that is so crazy in style and sound that you just can't wait to hear done live, where "Hello, My Name Is Euphoria" delivers a more in-depth vision of carrying on through the pain in our lives. Burden Of A Day focuses on topics of self absorption, this world not being our home, and living for God daily.

This is a harder side of melodic screamo with solid breakdowns, great lyrical content, and guys who play their instruments very well. The songs are generally focused on God and each one delivers awesome lyrics, including "I keep my heart in my pocket; it's weighing my shirt down. Bleeding though the fabric and bursting with the sound." For a debut album, this is a very stellar release. Sure, there are some flaws. The sound is not completely clean, some tracks sound extremely similar, and there is nothing very unique about Pilots & Paper Planes. That being said, I'd still recommend this album to anyone who likes hard rock and/or screamo.

- Review date: 1/5/09, written by Kevin Hoskins