SHREDnews

By: Ashley Pagano

From their first release Chroma to a self-titled sophomore album, Cartel, the five-piece rock band from Conyers, Georgia has constantly delivered a crisp alternative rock sound.  Now the band brings you their newest album, Cycles. This is a mature album with an upbeat and positive sound that should appeal to anybody who enjoys good music. The album just released October 20^th, and from start to finish is full of phenomenal music. Cycles is a testament to the journey Cartel has experienced in the music industry and demonstrates the band’s ability to mature musically, while remaining true to their original sound.

“Let’s Go,” as the first track, starts the album off in the right direction; one that Is upbeat and shows that the original Cartel is back. First off, vocalist Will Pugh has an energetic voice that makes music fun and enjoyable. The lyrics are awesome and the melody and hook are all there. The message the lyrics convey is inspirational: it makes you feel as if you should live your life, have fun, enjoy what you have, and not take anything for granted. Similarly, the song “Faster Ride” produces a positive feeling through an energetic chord progression and strong vocals that create meaningful and passionate song. Personally, I find this song to be one of the best ones on the album.

However, Cartel does not stick to one type of song throughout the album; tracks such as “Only You” clearly demonstrate the bands versatility. It is an emotional song about just being deeply in love with someone, and how you do not see anyone else around you. Though there are many songs with this sound, and same message, “Only You” stands out from them because it carries an air of genuine. Cartel follows this song with “It Still Remains,” a track that could cheer anyone up. Although the connotation of the words is not too optimistic, the sound and subsequent emotion of the song is one that makes you just want to let it all out.

Towards the end of the album, Cartel experiments with a more intense rock sound.  “Conventional Friend” has a lot of anger and obviously was written to express emotion. With lyrics such as “I was blind til’ I opened up my eyes to see/And all this time I never noticed/All you ever had were hidden motives,” it is clear that the song is filled with rage and delivers the idea of disappointment.  Cartel balances this honest song and closes the album with “Retrograde,” which delivers the ideas optimism and overcoming challenges.  This song had the best melody on the album that complimented the lyrics about being a strong person, facing life, and never giving up no matter what.

In the end, what is so incredible about Cycles is that Cartel delivered a great feel and a great message to their listeners. The band is truly an inspiration to others and sets a good example for fans. Listening to this album really made me gain a lot of respect for the band as a whole and I learned how amazing of musicians they really are.

For Fans Of: The Starting Line, Hit The Lights, Valencia

Overall Rating: 9/10

Recommended Tracks: Let’s Go, Conventional Friend, Retrograde