Nothing last forever is something I've learned at an early age. So it's no surprise that Anberlin announced earlier this year that in 2014 they will produce their final album and tour for the last time after being together for the past 12 years. From their first album, Blueprint for the Black Market, Anberlin made a name for themselves, continuing to make music and producing phenomenal albums like: Never Take Friendship Personal, Cities, New Surrender, Dark Is the Way, Light Is a Place, and Vital. Their last album Lowborn was released today after being pushed back a month from the original release date of June 23, 2014. Was it worth waiting an extra month for this album? The answer is yes.

To say Anberlin saved their best album for last is an understatement. Having listened to this album three times today, I can honestly say that listening to this is an experience in of itself. Having loved this band for a while, I knew this was going to be a great album. But I never thought it would be this amazing. As I went about my day, listening to this album any chance I had, I not only listened to Lowborn, but I was also listening to their six prior albums. It was as if these past 12 years had all accumulated to this moment. Anberlin was able to capture their different styles, growth, and creativity from the past 12 years beautifully to produce their legacy.

"It's kind of like our final statement and goodbye in a way of everything the band has become and where we are as people creatively at this point. Or at least we tried to make it that." - Deon Rexroat.

The album consists of ten songs: "We Are Destroyer", "Armageddon", "Stranger Ways", "Velvet Covered Brick", "Atonement", "Birds of Prey", "Dissenter", "Losing It All", "Hearing Voices", and "Harbinger". Even though I can say I like them all, there are some songs that stand out in comparison to others.

"We Are Destroyer" is the typical Anberlin opening song. It has those piercing vocals Stephen Christian executes flawlessly. With it's mix of techno and heavy rock sound, there's more to this song than you hear initially. This song sets up the whole album as you notice the different sounds, moods, and tempos that will parallel the album. "Armageddon" is quite strange to listen to after "We Are Destroyer", it has a much slower, atmospheric tempo. As the song progresses, it slowly picks up to a faster pace, but continues to maintain that atmospheric tempo. "Stranger Ways", is one of the better songs on the album and not only because it was the bands latest music video, but it shows the band addressing their "fans" on this goodbye. Starting off with a slow piano, smooth drums by Nate Young, and haunting lyrics, the song is catchy and gives off a good vibe even when singing of a sad topic.

"Velvet Covered Brick" is one of my favorite songs on the album. With the heavy guitars from Joey Milligan and Christian McAlhaney, hard hitting drums, and low singing, this song is sure to get you in a good mood. It reminds me a lot of "There Is No Mathematics to Love and Loss" which is one of my favorite songs from Anberlin. "Atonement", the song that pulls at your heart strings when you think about this being Anberlins last album. Here Stephen Christian gives his personal reasons why Anberlin is breaking up. He mentions, "I've see faces I may never see again, I've been places I never could have dreamt". Although a sad topic, the song is uplifting with it's mellow tempo that is very similar to "Unwinding Cable Car". It might even be better. It is freaking amazing! "Birds of Prey", although more of an electronic feel to the rest of the album, the chorus is catchy and you'll remember it, "regret is nothing more than a lovers disease". It also shows how even though it's their last album, they're still able to get creative and make something different despite what your fans are used to and want.

"Dissenter" is the song I like the least out of all of them. The heavy vocals in the beginning seem forced and it's just screaming instead of singing. It's too heavy in comparison to "We Are Destroyer" and "Velvet Covered Brick". "Losing It All", is my favorite song on this album hands down. It's has a catchy beat like "Atonement", but better due to being more fast paced. Unlike "Atonement", this song is more positive and looks on the bright side to their situation."It's not losing it all if we have each other, in the end its all that matters." They're right. Have we really lost Anberlin? Yes and no. "Hearing Voices", another great song with Christians piercing vocals, amazing drum work from Young, memorable lyrics, with a great chorus. If you were to define Anberlin by the type of style they have, this song is all their styles put into one. "Harbinger", the final song that wraps up the whole album. Knowing this is the last song ever, the tempo gives a calming feeling that leaves you feeling content. With lyrics like "You will remember me", and "We'll live forever", it makes a sad situation positive. The song is the perfect way to wrap up 12 years of Anberlin. With amazing music that touched so many people, including myself, "Harbinger" reminds us of that Anberlin will always be there.

"So the last line on the record is, “We’ll live forever.” People we meet out here in autograph lines or whatever say, “We’ll miss you.” But I always say to them, “We’re not actually leaving. You can always listen to the music.” I think that’s what it’s all about. We are gonna live forever in these people’s lives." - Stephen Christian. 

Am I sad that this is the last album this amazing band will produce? Yes, yes I am. Every time I listen to this album, I can't believe that music this phenomenal is made. I have yet to find a band like Anberlin, that will leave me with this feeling of awe every time I finish listening to a song. But theres a beauty to this. As I've listened to all of their albums, I'm on a journey I can't explain. I've seen this band grow and seen how their music has progressed. To be able to say that I and every other fan has been with them on this journey is a privilege. They will certainly live forever  in my life. I now look forward to seeing them live on October 10th in Anaheim. I know it will be a night to remember, just like this album.

When I started this blog, a major change happened in my life. This has ended up being most of the content that I've produced on here so far. But I don't want this blog to be all about my breakup, there's more to my life than that. I want this to be about all aspects of my life, the good and the bad. Right now I want to focus on a good new discovery.

I've never been one to write about my taste in music. I would say that when it comes to music I am a bit of a hipster. Not in that I listen to indie or bands no one has ever heard of. But more in that what I listen to is not mainstream or was popular when I was younger so people now don't listen to it now. The band I'm about to talk about is known of, but I would say that they aren't popular to a majority of people. The band I am talking about is Anberlin.

Now I've listen to Anberlin when I was in high school. I listened to about four of their songs because they were on my ipod that my sister put in because back then we shared an itunes account. I liked the songs but I didn't think much about them or thought of exploring more from them. It wasn't until I created a Spotify account and got bored with what i was listening to that I decided that I might listen to more of their songs. Doing this was probably one of the greatest things I could have done to my music library.

They've been around for a while so I was finding it a little pointless to be giving in a sense a review of them since they haven't released a new album. But I've been listening to them so much this past week that I thought it was necessary to write this.

I gravitate towards listening to more alternative rock. Anberlin is an American Rock band, but one thing that I like about them so much is that their style isn't the same in every single album. Don't get me wrong, every artist has a specific style that makes them special and should stick to it. But sometimes when that's all they stick to it could get boring listening to them. You feel like every song sounds the same except has different lyrics. But Anberlin doesn't do this at all.

The first songs I've listened from them were from their 2005 and 2007 album's: Never Take Friendship Personal and Cities. To me, these albums have more of a rock style which is what I really liked when I was younger and still like now. But as I listened to more of their stuff, they sometimes have an upbeat style and their lyrics at this moment are really hitting home, specifically "A Day Late" and "Time and Confusion". Their album Vital has a softer feel to it, which i feel reflectes the indie style that was popular last year and now. Their album Dark Is The Way, Light Is A Place is also very good and The Best of Anberlin really is the best of Anberlin.

Some of the songs that I just discovered that I really like are "There Is No Mathematics to Love and Loss", "To the Wolves", "Orpheum", "Time & Confusion", "Haunting"and "Modern Age". But they have so many amazing songs that I simply can't list them all. If you want to listen to a variety of styles in one album, i suggest Blue Prints For City Friendships: The Anberlin Anthology, it has all their popular well known songs but it includes songs on there that I wouldn't except from them but are so good that your happy Anberlin included them in this anthology.

If this post has at least made you somewhat curious about Anberlin, then I'm glad and I highly recommend you to listen to them. Even if it might not be your style, they are a musically talented band that deserves to be listened to at least once and I'm glad that I finally took the chance to listen more from them. Better late than never right?

Edit: So I just found out that this year Anberlin is going to release their last CD and tour for the last time this year. Why must this happen once I finally started listening to them. Their farewell video in my opinion was very sincere and made me like them even more. If they play in California I am making it my goal to go see them live.