This Day Forward have forged a career as one of the most underrated independent groups that have risen to prominence in the past five years. Since 1996 the band have been inhabiting the underground, delivering 3 impressive records that command one's attention and encourage the listener to envision hardcore music in a new light. Through that time the band have continuously evolved their sound, always pushing themselves to greater heights while testing the boundaries of modern day hardcore music; But never have they come across as focused and powerful as they do on their latest effort, the tumultuous calamity that is "In Response".

The disoriented passion of "White Picket Defense System" and "The Breath" launch the album down the path Glassjaw have blazed in recent years, yet as it progresses, This Day Forward's own unique interpretation of post-hardcore angst is unveiled. "Euphio Question" is less it's own entity as it is a prelude to "Fragile Version", the album's most accessible cut. This song seamlessly meshes gritty hardcore intensity with the band's renewed indie sensibilities, baring a caustic sentimentality that is cathartic in it's execution. The song is followed with another atmospheric excursion, as "The Red Room" works as an epilogue, yet segues fluidly into the latter half of the album. These transitional pieces surrounding the song reveal the group's forte at weaving intricate layers of dream-like ambiance and they serve their purpose quite elegantly, allowing the band more depth then many of their contemporaries.

"In Response" certainly finds the group furthering ideals they cherished on "Kairos", and while there is an inherent pop appeal to this record, the indie rock inclinations are much more realized and developed than in the past. The emotive dissonance that this album thrives upon has inspired tremendous musical growth, as This Day Forward have embellished on emotional subtleties that punctuate every crevice of their being. In the process, this Pennsylvania quintet have undergone a transformation into an artistic emocore ensemble that rival such accomplished acts as Thursday and Haste, truly "In Response" has the perfect mixture of tenacity and tenderness to captivate even the most jaded listener.