[3.5/5] The title track and opener on The Walking Wounded partly conveys what it must've felt like after Bayside's tragic van accident more than a year ago, which claimed the life of former drummer John "Beatz" Holohan and seriously injured bassist Nick Ghanbarian; in the song's chorus, singer/guitarist Anthony Raneri admits, "Scientists, they couldn't fix me/I'm so tired of getting out of bed." Despite forging ahead, Raneri makes it clear that the emotional scars run deep, and these wounds, paired with his understandably dour outlook, define the record's overall mood. Musically, Bayside have elevated themselves further-particularly guitarist Jack O'Shea, who's a bona fide shredder-and the songwriting on Wounded is as superb as fans would expect, but it's also missing some of the against-the-odds optimism found on 2005's Bayside. Wounded's an important step toward recovery and a strongly recommended listen, but only when Bayside fully heal can they once again craft records that are just as cathartic for us all. (VICTORY) Brendan Manley
 Official Website: http://www.victoryrecords.com
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