The pop-punk band Another One Down! just released their new album A Bitter Descent Deluxe via Open Your Ears Records on May 26th, 2023. They had previously released “Betray A Friend” from the album, which is a great track to get fans ready for the album to come out. The album is a bit of an emotional roller coaster, but it has something for everyone.

A Bitter Descent Deluxe Tracklist

1. Please Don’t Walk Away

2. Empty (Without Me)

3. Sulk

4. Stuck In The Wake

5. Deadweight (feat. Chris LoPorto of Can’t Swim)

6. Headspace

7. Erase Your Existence

8. Something Left To Save

9. Chump Charity

10. Exeter

11. High

12. A Bitter Descent

13. Good Grief! (Bonus Track)

14. Betray A Friend (Bonus Track)

15. Headspace (Acoustic)

16. Stuck In The Wake (Acoustic)

“Please Don’t Walk Away” starts the album with soft, beautiful vocals. As the song builds up Marcus Simmoni’s vocals get stronger and the instruments get much more powerful. The track is heartbreaking and can easily make you tear up. In my opinion, it is similar to something you would hear from Neck Deep.

“Empty (Without Me)” begins with upbeat guitar and transitions to more incredible vocals and drums that quickly get you into the beat. The chorus is extremely catchy and will easily get stuck in your head after just one listen. The backing vocals in this track are absolutely perfect and make the song ten times more engaging. The bridge to the song is very danceable and uplifting.

“Sulk” has heavier bass to begin the song, transitioning to the pure pop-punk sound the band is known for. The lyrics are very relatable, making the track very deserving of a spot on everyone’s sad songs playlist. The part of the song where the instruments cut out every few seconds so that only vocals are heard is one of my personal favorite parts of the song. The guitar in this song is high pitched, showing even more talent from the band. The very end of the song features Simmoni’s incredible voice going up a few notes, making it an amazing ending to the track

“Stuck In The Wake” is highly focused on the dreaded feeling of heartbreak. It talks about how it’s hard for things to change while you’re stuck in that hard place. As always, the vocals just continue to get better and better. The soft harmonizing in the bridge is breathtaking and then goes into an incredible guitar solo from Bradenton Teh.

“Deadweight” has upbeat guitar and drums, making listener’s easily get into the song right away. The chorus is extremely catchy and fun to listen to. This track does an amazing job of showing the vocal range of Simmoni, going from low to high within seconds. When Chris Loporto (Can’t Swim) came in, his voice sounded fantastic and suited the music perfectly.

“Headspace” is about loving someone that you’re trying to let go of. We’ve all been there and that makes the song even more special for all of us. The lyrics are heart crushing and emotional. Despite that, the backing instruments are upbeat and always, giving the song some light even with such saddening lyrics.

“Erase Your Existence” is a much softer track. It begins with beautiful piano and then Simmoni comes in with his stunning vocals, creating a heavenly sound. The lyrics are similar to those og “Headspace” due to the reflection on the struggles with love. It talks about wanting to get that certain someone out of your head and be in a better space.

“Something Left To Save” is more uplifting, talking about hoping to find the light in the dark times you’re experiencing before you lose the only thing that could be helping you to hold on. The track is at a considerably faster tempo than the previous track, making it a very fun transition. The song can quickly make listeners happy and realize that there’s always something to hold onto.

“Chump Charity” talks about anxiety and it starting to take over your life. This track stands out to me a lot compared to the others because of my personal experiences with such topics. The vocals are full of power and emotion, even the guitar brings even more emotion to the song.

“Exeter” talks about looking back on better days and how much life has changed since we were younger. This one hits close to home as we all wish things could be back then, compared to now when everything feels like it has much different meaning/purpose. The guitar in the ending of the song is very unique with the few little stops in between every few seconds.

“High” is about people changing and losing people because of it. It’s always hard to recover from that, especially if it was a friendship since childhood. It almost always feels as if we’re never better off without said person, even if we were being dragged down by them. The vocals are magical per usual, making the song extremely heartbreaking. Halfway through the song, it builds up and transitions into a beautiful guitar solo that feels other worldly.

“A Bitter Descent” is the final track from the original album. It talks about self hate and being trapped inside of your own skin. The thoughts inside the mind when in a dark place such as this can be extremely overwhelming and it feels as if it continues to constantly get worse and worse. The chorus feels like a punch to the gut with pure emotion. It is an amazing way to end the album on an incredible note.

“Good Grief!” is the first bonus track on the deluxe edition of the album. It reflects on the feeling of not thinking anyone truly cares. It starts off with a bang with breathtaking vocals that quickly transition into upbeat guitar. My personal favorite part of the track is the second verse ends with a chanting vocal and beautifully goes into the chorus. The bridge has more of a breakdown feeling compared to the rest of the album, making this a song that any metal fan could get into.

“Betray A Friend” talks about betrayal on someone who has always been there for you. The backing vocals on this song stand out because of how much more obvious there are (in the best way possible). The chorus easily gets you moving with the incredibly unique beat. The guitar in the solo is accompanied by soft “woah”s from Simmoni that are capable of sending chills down the listener's spines.

“Headspace (Acoustic)” brings a completely new feeling to the song. Not only does it make the song even more beautiful, but makes the emotion even more pronounced. The band has an incredible acoustic sound that stands out compared to any other artist’s acoustics. The vocals are very strong and suit their music perfectly.

“Stuck In The Wake (Acoustic)” is the very last track to be heard on this phenomenal album. The song is the perfect way to end the album with everyone with tears rolling down their cheeks. The heartbreaking feeling the song gives off is suddenly even more prominent and brings so much power to the track.

Overall, A Bitter Descent Deluxe is absolutely beautiful and full of nothing but pure emotion. While all of the lyrics reflect on dark topics/emotions, the sound is always uplifting and brings a happy feeling. They never have a dull moment in their songs and never fail to fill listeners with the emotion they’re trying to give off with their incredible lyrics. Another One Down! has a remarkable sound and is bound to be one of the next huge bands in pop punk.

Keep up with Another One Down! at https://linktr.ee/anotheronedown

Sarah Taylor

Pittsburgh, PA

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