Victory records leads the way with vibrant new bands, and they have overshadowed many reaching out and snatching The Black Maria from beyond the Canadian borders. The Black Maria is a sensitive but aggressive band in the mold of hardcore alternative music prodigies Aiden and My Chemical Romance; they will reach top status as the airwaves cling to some of the impressive titles. They conjured up a sound a bit like The Cure and notes of U2’s The Edge with their own style.

The opening tune “The Perilous Curse” is sure to make its way to commercial success as it climbs the alternative charts with powerful vocals by Chris Gray and streaming chords by Alan Nacinovic and Scott Swain. “Waking Up With Wolves” is a melodic tune that will wake the dead; the screams and breaks of melodic composition settle in your mind. One minute there is a calming feeling and then a sudden electric shock spinning your head around 360 degrees. “Lucid” has great lyrics and a chorus that kids will love to will sing on the street corner or in the school cafeteria. It would be impossible for me to pick a highlight song on “A Shared History of Tragedy” as there are countless tunes that stand out. “Living Expenses” is one of those tunes.

I know there is an over-saturation of aggressive alternative music out there but when you get a CD like “A Shared History of Tragedy” that reels you in with fantastic vocals and top-notch musicianship like The Black Maria has, it should not go unnoticed. These songs are killer from start to finish. Make sure to catch The Black Maria’s songs and check them out on their current tour with Aiden and Silverstein.