A comprehensive album review of The Daze’s Methomania
While there aren’t a lot of albums I’m determined to get my hands on a physical copy of in 2024, Last year’s debut album from The Daze, Methomania, is one that has made a permanent home in my car’s CD Player. The Daze is a band of up-and-comers out of Jefferson Ohio who have quickly taken the independent music scene by storm. Methomania perfectly encapsulates the band’s alternative rock and grunge roots while showcasing their versatility both instrumentally and in vocal dexterity.
Methomania kicks off with “Falling for Nothing” which is hands down the perfect introduction to the rollercoaster ride of rock the next 40 minutes are about to entail. With a bassline equal parts simple and hypnotic, Falling for Nothing takes mere seconds to get you on the edge of your seat and waiting for the crescendo of Guitar and Drums to kick in. Common practice with album etiquette typically sees your into track be a familiar single, hard-hitting radio play heavy track or a fan favorite. Falling for Nothing, Previously released as a single, definitely ticks all those boxes. Not to mention, It can be heard at the end of every Rebel Radio Show, Live Mondays at 5pm on WSRR.
In an ambitious and bold move The title track, “Methomania”, follows with a jolt of hard rock, kickass grunge that’ll send you back to 1994 MTV complete with radio-esc distortion that ties it all together. Lead singer Eddie Grier does an impeccable job of maintaining cleverly crafted, audible vocals with vivid symbolism. According to the singer, Methomania (An ancient Greek/English word relating to alcohol dependence) details the generational trauma inflicted by a father who finds himself at the bottom of bottle after bottle being passed down to his son. The song is a self-relectant cry for help from the son in overcoming these demons, to not find themselves in the same situation and depths they witnessed their father succumb to.
“Pop-song for Heartbreak” is my personal sleeper pick off Methomania. In a showcase of versatility striking similar to Nirvana’s Spank Thru (Originally written in the style of a pseudo-pop song by Kurt Cobain prior to the formation of Nirvana), “Pop-Song for Heartbreak” is unapologetically upfront and literal. Equal parts real and catchy, this track fits a wide variety of playlists and provides a perfect crowd interactive experience when performed live.
“New Wave War” follows up the punk ballad with a rallying cry to a generation. This single perfectly encapsulates the band’s chemistry as the bass, drums, and lead guitar play off each other masterfully. A welcome addition to any workout or hype-up playlist, New Wave War is reminiscent of the outspoken alternative newcomers of the early 2000s. If you’re looking for the perfect track to complement Muse’s “Uprising” or All-American Rejects “Move Along” then look no further.
Another dark horse pick that could easily be considered an instant classic, “Pushing Triggers” provides all the evidence needed to prove that Grunge is not dead. Quite simply put, With a guitar riff that gets stuck in my head at least once a week, the track title Pushing Triggers tells you exactly what you need to know and expect heading into it.
“Hymn Of The Abyss” takes a meta look at itself as well as the album as a whole. As described by composer Eddie Grier, the track is a diatribe about the anxiety and fear of releasing his personal work to the world in this album. With this in mind, “Hymn Of The Abyss” I believe single-handedly remedies itself by expressing to the listening audience just how much dedication went into this album and that it is honest through and through. Grier also explains the original working title for the track was “I Don’t Wanna Be Here” however he found it “too generic and sad”. Ironically enough very similar lyrics can still be heard in the song’s chorus.
It’s been said the final track on an album should be reserved for a longer ballad or experimental song. I believe the last FOUR tracks of Methomania could fit into this camp, but none more than “Rain”. The track utilizes a very literal title, heavily featuring rain-backing accompanied by soothing rhythmic guitar and bass. The perfect track to throw on for a long drive or even the score of a cinematic sweeping establishing shot for your next big jungle movie. Rain is, for lack of a better explanation, “A Vibe” in every sense of the word and offers the flexibility for listeners to find their own experiences or serenity to its rhythm. Similarly “Lose This Feeling” is coated in relateability creating less of a song and more of a personal experience for the listener.
“Shoreline” continues the trend of using water as a visual representation of doubt, fear, anxiety, and general depression one must overcome. The Waves in the song represent the highs and lows, the ebbs and flows, one may battle in their own mind. While the track begins in a seemingly dark fashion depicting a man who is overtaken by these thoughts and is ready to act upon them, the song continues to unveil the continuous questions he faces from himself during the process. The “Shoreline” itself comes as a form of redemption. While the man is still unsure of exactly what is going on in his life or why his mind is trapped in such a dark state, he begins to realize if he remains contemptuous of being alone in his agony things will never improve. Rather, The man has to take charge of his situation and realize he is the only one who can change the future by controlling his perception of his past. The Song as a whole provides an empathetic look into the struggles of depression and anxiety. As a listener, this creates a beautiful reminder that even though it may feel like it at times, you are alone in your struggles.
The album is wrapped up with the lullaby-esc tones of “Bleed Me Out”. A calm, emotion-filled outro that magnificently encapsulates the journey we have just taken. The ballad is composed in such a way you just want to lay back, close your eyes, and take a deep breath. Often times debut albums focus too much on just “how hard can we rock” and leave you at the end of it full of unspent adrenaline that fades into silence with the end of the final track. The Daze winds down Methomania gracefully as if you are attending a live show approving the late hours of the night every time you listen.
There is a common saying that “rock is dead”, and I find that statement to only be as true as the stations you listen to. If all you listen to is mainstream corporate radio, unfortunately, you will only hear the same “Top 40” rock ballad you’ve heard for the past 40 years. Not only is real rock still out there, but Methomania proves that subgenres like grunge are still alive and well. I would highly recommend anyone who hasn’t yet got a chance to listen to Methomania to stream it now on Spotify. More over than that, support your local and independent artists like The Daze by purchasing a physical copy or listening to WSRR Radio for more of the music that keeps rock alive.
