Aranda - Not The Same
- Written by Zoe Wallbank
American band of brothers Aranda are releasing their highly anticipated third album Not The Same later this month after three years of waiting. With heavy guitar and loud vocals throughout the entire album, it’s one for the hard rock fans. In addition, they have already made a name for themselves in that genre, touring with the likes of Three Days Grace and Seether in America this summer.
Dameon Aranda has stated that, "these songs are about leaving your past behind and moving forward, and looking forward to great new things", a fitting message to introduce fans to a rebirth of Aranda. Although track eight ‘Comin’ Back For More’ and the closing track ‘Starting Over’ sum up that message best, ‘Stay’ echoes it with lyrics such as: “I’ve been walking a broken road / It’s the only one I think I know” and “I’ve been living on a compromise.”
The songs are hard rock, similar sounding to bands such as Avenged Sevenfold and Led Zeppelin. That being said, there is still a quality these songs have that makes them very catchy, particularly the title track ‘Not The Same’ and ‘Knock The Lights Out’, which has a strong beat.
Another theme throughout the album is hints of love, it’s mentioned in ‘Centre Of The Universe’ with lyrics such as “She sees the world as undefined and knows which rules to break”, although ‘Are You Listening?’, a surprising but beautiful wildcard acoustic track, is the most prominent example. That being said, it focuses more on heartbreak than love with the lyrics: “I’m alone even when I’m with you” and “Somehow this becomes nothing more than pretending.”
Overall, it’s a good, catchy rock album filled with loud but meaningful lyrics and killer guitars sure to please any rock fan, and lead to a great and welcome “rebirth” of the band.