Evidently, 2003 is the Year of the Spider, as Cold show that they can stand strong after the… Evidently, 2003 is the Year of the Spider, as Cold show that they can stand strong after the release of their successful sophomore album, Thirteen Ways to Bleed on Stage. This strength is proven through every song on their third release since they broke into the music scene in 1998.

The release of this newest album from the dark, emotional band has been anticipated for some time now. The first single, “Stupid Girl,” the lyrics for which were written by record label-mate Rivers Cuomo of Weezer, has received frequent airplay on major alternative radio stations across the nation.

Year of the Spider is an emotional roller coaster filled with anguish, as well as a sentimental look into the life of frontman Scooter Ward.

“Cure My Tragedy (A Letter to God)” is one of the album’s most emotional tracks, because Ward is singing about his sister and the time they spent growing up. It’s also a gut-wrenching plea asking God to take away his sister’s pain and cure her cancer. Ward sings, “Won’t you take and give her pain to me “cause my whole life I made mistakes. Can you hear me scream?”

“Wasted Years” is a song about being 30, looking back on your life and seeing that it was wasted drinking in bars. It’s about the time that has gone, years you can’t change, but you wish you could.

“Black Sunday” is another emotional song, written for Ward’s girlfriend, who lost a baby six years ago. The child succumbed to sudden infant death syndrome just two weeks after being born. It’s a song that tries to help ease the sadness that she still feels.

“The Day Seattle Died” pays homage to Kurt Cobain and Layne Staley, who both died on April 5; it is a song about how important music, especially tragic music, can be to people.

Throughout this album, each track screams with pain that strikes deep into your heart as you listen to every word that Ward pours out of his. Year of the Spider is a successful follow-up to the previous two albums and is a must for the record collection.