Album Review: 'To Better Days' by Slaves

In light of the brutal murder of George Floyd, the band made a statement that they will be changing their name. This is the final album under the name Slaves and is the first album with new vocalist Matt McAndrew. This album is in the point of view of all things that go wrong in someones life, and just looking for a way out. An absolute banger album with heavy chords and beats throughout. Let's dive in!

LISTEN WHILE YOU READ

1. "To Better Days"

Intro to the album that gives hints to the sound of the first song on the album, prayers by using the high pitched notes as a transition.

2. "Prayers"

There's stigmas around touring musicians and cheating on their significant others while away on the road. This song is the opposite, walking you through the emotions of a 1st person point of view, of someone telling lies and knowing they are lying to your face. Watching them suffer, but at the same time caring about them so much, and keeping them in your prayers before bed.

I know I'm the only one that you wanna touch

But you know you've been a handful

And I can handle a lot, yeah

I'ma turn it off 'cause I care too much

I heard you say you're being careful, I know you're not

Because I know you don't know when to stop

3. "Witch Hunt"

Witch Hunt is the fight you never want with your partner. This song walks you through the progression of the fight by starting out with soft verses and bridges and then the chorus shows the peak of the fight by acknowledging that it's not going to end without going for each other's throats and the other one winning and getting their way.

So it's a witch hunt that you want

Won't be happy till I'm face down in the mud

And it's funny cause you're madder than hell

Like you can't tell

I'm the one who's under your spell

4. "Talk to a Friend"

You know the voice in your head that is always putting you down and telling you time and time again that you can't do something, or when you look in the mirror and you hate what you see? Talk to a friend is about just that. It's catchy chorus details someone expressing that they talk to themselves horribly, but would never put friends down that way. Being the one friend that checks in on everyone else, but has their demons way deep down.

I wouldn't talk to a friend the way I talk to myself

(I'm turning my life into h*ll)

See the voice in my head really needs some help

(I figure I might as well)

5. "Eye Opener"

Think about one person who was so toxic in your life, and you would know that NO ONE would be able to handle them. Eye Opener is the journey of realizing someone is just too much to handle. Due to the difficulty of that person, you fall out of love and become distant, but hang on to what's left until there just isn't anything to hang on to anymore.

6. "Bury A Lie"

Alexander Pope once said "He who tells a lie is not sensible of how great a task he undertakes; for he must be forced to invent twenty more to maintain that one". Meaning it is a greater task to lie, due to the lies you have to tell to keep the first one safe. This song is on the recieving end. When some one you trust ends up lying to you, you find it hard to believe most of what was said or happened after that lie had started.

Six feet ain't enough to bury a lie

Don't ask me why I'm not just letting it die

It's coming back to haunt me

Time after time

No Grave is deep enough to sleep through the night

Buried by lies

7. "Heavier"

This was the first single released in 2019 with new vocalist Matt McAndrew, who competed on season seven of the voice. This song is about blaming yourself so events that have occurred in your past, and struggling to move past that.

I'm feeling heavier, despite my hollow soul

I'm feeling anxious now, it's swallowing me whole

And at night, I beg myself to put this all to rest

While I wrestle with these demons pressing on my chest

8. "Footprints"

A love song so the one true love. This song is a soft rock, easy going love confession for someone special. You're walked through the main character who is away from their love, and wanting to make sure they know how much they mean to that person. Though this love story may have turmoil and troubles, the character is sure to stay until the very end.

If we're pulled apart by horses

And my body's given up

I'll die before the end of our love

Before the end of our love

9. "Cursed"

Now onto the other end of the spectrum, this love is now breaking apart. This couple is trying everything in their will power for something to work out for them, but their plans keep falling apart, and nothing seems to work out for them, so they come to the conclusion that they are cursed.

Lately I'm getting the feeling

Nothing works

Caused we're cursed

And she says so am I

I didn't wanna believe it

Each step forward

Puts us ten behind

10. "Wasting My Youth"

Wasting My Youth is about the toxic relationships that we try to stay in past their ending date. If you have ever tried to fight for a relationship that just keeps having problems, and fighting and is wearing you down, this song is for you.

We tied the knot, but you were tying a noose

Now there's a part of me that hates the way

I'm wasting my youth on you (You)

11. "Clean Again"

Using this song as a transition and interlude, this song is a confession poem to a partner about coming clean of all wrong doings and wanting to just start over.

12. "Secrets"

The interlude was used to wanting to come clean from wrong doings, and this song is the aftermath. The relationship is already broken, so might as well just tell each other everything and get all the secrets out in the open to try to grasp one more thing of hope to save the relationship.

It's so silent from all your secrets

We're both dying to escape this feeling

I know that you're buried in problems

I'll carry the weight

Baby be honest

Before it's too late

Silent from all your secrets

13. "Like I Do"

Your own worst enemy is yourself. This song is about how no one will be able to tear you down as much as you can bring yourself down. As if you have become numb to those who affect you on the outside. Like I Do allows confidence in not letting someone have the satisfaction of hurting you, but knowing later down the road, it'll just be you hurting yourself.

You'll never bring me down

I'd rather drown myself

So go and waste your time

Fucking with someone else

Check Slaves out on social media!

• Facebook: Slaves
• Twitter: @SLAVESOFFICIAL
• Instagram: slavesofficial
• Spotify: Slaves
• Youtube: SBG Records