The Big Dirty (album)
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| The Big Dirty | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 4, 2007 | |||
| Recorded | March and April 2007 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 36:20 | |||
| Label | Ferret | |||
| Producer | Steve Evetts | |||
| Every Time I Die chronology | ||||
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The Big Dirty is the fourth studio album by American metalcore band Every Time I Die. It was released on September 4, 2007, on Ferret Records.
At the end of their set at Dirtfest on August 19, 2006, Every Time I Die announced that bassist Chris Byrnes would be leaving the band.[3] Buckley said Byrnes departure was due to money, "He really couldn't afford it on our touring schedule and salary".[4] He was replaced by former the Chariot member Keller Harbin.[5] Following an October and November tour with Atreyu, the band started writing their next album, with aim of releasing it the following summer.[4] On February 14, 2007, vocalist Keith Buckley mentioned that the band have been holed up in a basement in North Tonawanda, New York composing "what will easily prove to be the best record ETID has crafted since Gutter Phenomenon."[6]
Recording and composition
In early March 2007, the band went to California to record The Big Dirty with producer Steve Evetts for a period of two months. Despite the band announcing that, in regards to a bass player, fans should "expect some help on the recording from a good friend of ours",[6] guitarists Jordan Buckley and Andy Williams perform bass on the album.
The title is a reference to the 2006 film Trailer Park Boys: The Movie,[7] in which the criminal protagonists plot to pull off "The Big Dirty," a grand heist, before retiring from their lives of crime. The band said the album was "Chock-a-block with riffs that only 4 months of a Buffalo, New York winter could spawn, this new record will undoubtedly satisfy [long-time fans.] ... The Big Dirty is the CD you would compile if asked to make a mix of the BEST Every Time I Die songs you haven't heard yet. ... If this ain't your favorite heavy release of the year, I'll eat my damn hat."[8] According to Buckley, the album's lyrical content revolve around "coming to terms with the fact that [prior to the album] I needed to calm down in life."[9] He mentioned that people around him were starting to settle down and have families and he "didn’t like that. It’s about coming to terms with the fact I didn’t need to stop living.”[9] According to a press release, the lyrics to "Imitation Is the Sincerest Form of Battery" were based on the Federico Fellini film 8½ (1963). The press release also mentioned that the track "has everything that the band has become notorious for wrapped into one two-minute-and-thirty-second keg stand of ass-kicking fuck-all."[10]
Release
On April 24, 2007, The Big Dirty was announced for release.[8] In June, the band went on a tour of Australia with Norma Jean.[6] During the tour, the band headlined the Come Together Music Festival.[11] The band supported Shadows Fall for three shows,[12] before headlining the 2007 edition of the Sounds of the Underground tour in July and August.[13] On July 2, "Imitation Is the Sincerest Form of Battery" was made available for streaming.[14] On July 8, the album's track listing and artwork was revealed.[10] On July 24, "No Son of Mine" was made available for streaming.[15] "We'rewolf" was released as a single on August 11, 2007.[16] On August 28, a music video was posted for "We'rewolf" on the band's Myspace profile; it is inspired by the film Teen Wolf (1985).[16][17] The Big Dirty was planned for release in August,[8] however it was made available for streaming on August 31,[18] and released on September 4 through Ferret Music.[14] Between September and November 2007, the band supported Underoath on their headlining US tour.[19] On October 19, the band appeared on Fuel TV's The Daily Habit show performing "We'rewolf" and "No Son of Mine".[20] The band performed these two songs again for their appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on October 31.[21] In January and February 2008, the band went on a US tour alongside Killswitch Engage, the Dillinger Escape Plan and Parkway Drive.[22] However, shortly prior to the tour, drummer Michael Novak had sustained a back injury from playing basketball. As a result, Steve Bache of He Is Legend temporarily filled in.[23]
In February and March,[24] the band co-headlined the Take Action Tour with From First to Last.[25] The band then embarked on a European and UK tour in April with Drop Dead, Gorgeous and Scary Kids Scaring Kids.[26] On June 13, the band announced that Josh Newton of From Autumn to Ashes had joined them as their new bassist.[27] Between June and August 2008, the band performed on the Warped Tour.[28][29] In October, the band made an appearance at Liskfest.[30] Following this, the band performed a few shows with Trash Talk and Alpha & Omega.[31] In November, the band went on the November Reign Tour in North America, alongside the Bronx and Stick to Your Guns.[32][33] In February and March 2009, the band toured Australia as part of the Soundwave festival.[34] In between dates on the festival, the band played two sideshows with the Dillinger Escape Plan, Poison the Well and Evergreen Terrace.[9]
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [35] |
| AbsolutePunk | 88% [36] |
| Blabbermouth.net | 8.5/10 [37] |
| Drowned in Sound | 9/10 [38] |
| FasterLouder | Favourable [39] |
| Kerrang! | |
| Spin | Favorable [40] |
| Sputnikmusic | 3/5 [1] |
The album debuted at number 41 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling about 14,000 copies in its first week.[41] The album was included in Rock Sound's 101 Modern Classics list at number 88.[42]
