My Darkest Days' New Album A Classic Affair

You'd be forgiven if you worried that the just-released second album by My Darkest Days, Sick and Twisted Affair, would fall victim to the dreaded sophomore jinx.  After all, it's hard to top that debut album; lest we forget it boasted monster smash Porn Star Dancing and a gut-wrenching rendition of Duran Duran's eternal 90's classic Come Undone.

Happily, Sick and Twisted Affair does away with any concerns straight away with the blisteringly epic title track.  Boasting top notch synth work and timeless lyrics (i.e. "I'm like a dirty little drug / and you'll never get enough"), it's clear that MDD are going for the jugular.  It's followed by Save Yourself, an absolute blast that brings the fires of hell to the dance floor.  Its chorus soars on bat wings over a synthbed of molten lava.

I could extol the virtues of Sick and Twisted Affair until my fingers bleed all over my keyboard; honestly there's so much awesomeness and grandeur happening over the album's nine tracks and marathon half hour running time that it exhausts me to even fathom it.

Of course, the highlight is undoubtedly Casual Sex; its potent and abundant charm lies in its tenderness ("It's just your typical hardcore casual sex / We're single but we're lovers / Crazy for each other").  It's a poignant observation on the dynamics of relationships, and it really and truly stirs the soul.



With Sick and Twisted Affair, My Darkest Days have released a clear Album of the Year frontrunner that raises the bar to impossibly lofty heights.  Their ingenious and innovative use of massive rock guitars, synthpop and DJ scratches has positioned them alongside Loverboy, Platinum Blonde and Haywire as one of Canada's most endearing exports.  It truly is no wonder that Canadian icon and fellow rock visionary Chad Kroeger eagerly signed them to his label.  Clearly, he saw in MDD what the world sees now; that they are one of the most important bands making music today.