On Oct. 8, Mayday Parade released its forth studio album “Monsters in the Closet.” It is expected that even avid fans will be putting this monstrous album in the closet soon after its release.

Although the Floridian pop-punk band worked hard for the past two years since the release of its 2011 album “Mayday Parade,” the results were average at best.

The album began with the catchy tune “Ghosts” but soon dragged on with a repetitive melody of guitars and drums. Only five or six songs out of 12 seemed to stick out because a tune broke off from the usual rock and roll beat, or a different instrument was mixed in. Many of the songs sounded like those on the previous albums.

The instruments were not the only thing that lost my interest. The theme of the album was of heartbreak and relationship problems. The theme did not tire me out as much as the lyrics. If you are like me and feel like the song should have some meaning and not just rambling, than these lyrics might not be for you. Like the instrument usage, only a few songs stuck out because the lyrics were different or evoked feelings.

The songs “Angel” and “Hold On To Me” were some of the few good highlights of the album. The melodies matched perfectly with the words. The tunes were sad and the singer reached out with his voice which helped the listener connect with the songs. For me, these are the songs I look out for- songs that connect well not only musically but also emotionally.

The band began its climb to the top in 2005 when members of Kid Named Chicago and Defining Moment combined to create their first EP  “Tales Told By Dead Friends.” They quickly rose to success when they signed to Fearless Records in 2006 and to Atlantic Records in 2009. However, the band has taken a slight dive recently, and their new album will hardly make up for the loss.

Rating: 7/10