Record Rewind: Cartel – Chroma
5 min read
I have loved Cartel since 2007 and I was only still a teenager back then and even now that I’m in my 20’s, the music that this band have given me is something worth noting down to everyone that loves their pop punk music as much as I do. They are seriously an underrated band and I hope when people come across this Record Rewind thing Renowned For Sound is starting can see the importance and love I have for Cartel. One of the many reasons why I love this band so much is because they have helped me get through the toughest times unimaginable. They say music can be used as an escape from your problems and that is something I strongly believe in until this day. No matter where you are and where you go, music will always be the best friend that’s there for you 24/7 and that is pretty damn special for anyone that has a strong passion for music as I do.
Cartel’s first album, Chroma, is an album I hold close to in my heart because the lyrics of some of their songs have helped me grow into the person I am today. Everyone nowadays are only after the catchiness of pop punk but one thing that makes Cartel stand out is the fact that they hold the role of releasing songs that have so much sentimental value and for that, I thank this band for the music they have made that inspired me to keep going even on days where I thought I couldn’t make it through.
Matter of Time is one of the best songs by Cartel because the lyrics speak for itself. This song has taught me that we all blame ourselves for all sorts of reasons. For our failures, for unintentionally hurting the ones we love or simply regretting something we swore ourselves we would never do. It’s a special song to me because despite all the bad occurrences that happen in our lives, we’re all going to learn and become a better and stronger version of ourselves from it. Life is naturally unfair and we all go through loss of some sort and there are days where we just can’t win. It’s hard to be incredibly patient especially when you don’t get what you want but it does teach you a thing or two about life and yourself especially. The lyrics, cause where you are is where you’ll be / always wanting everything / it’s all the same – that you can’t ignore / cause all you want is just to be more strongly reflects this point and I think it pinpoints the fact that everyone’s worst enemy is themselves and that we need to fight our demons in order to realise our own capabilities and be able to muster the strength to accept whatever life hurdles at us.
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A song that constantly reminds me to make the most of my youth is of course, Burn This City. This track gives off a beautiful feeling of nostalgia and reminds us that we don’t have much time to do things that we want because as you know, time is limited and what we are given is something so precious, we can never get it back. The lyrics, ’cause our days were numbered by nights on too many rooftops / they said we’re wasting our lives/ oh at least we know, that if we die, we lived with passion/ they said we’d burn so bright, struck me at first because it was a simple reminder that as long as we’re with our friends and that we’re having the time of our lives, that’s all that matters. Even if it were our last day on Earth, this song truly teaches the sentiment that at least we did the best that we could to live our lives to the fullest and that we shouldn’t live with regret. I hold this song so close to my heart because I know for a fact that we should be thankful for each new day that’s given to us and that we shouldn’t stop living for the moments where we feel most alive whilst we’re still at a young age.
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Lastly, If I Fail is a track I listen to almost constantly when it has something to do with feelings for a person. I’ve been through situations where I second guess myself because of having feelings for someone. Asking myself where did I go wrong and what could have I done to make right of the situation. To be honest, shit happens and I’m not going to lie about this when I say that feelings get the best of us and the only way to see the positive light in any situation is to let that person know how you feel, despite the consequences that may occur. This song reminds me that even if things do fail because of unrequited feelings or whatever, I know that at the end of the day I at least took a crack out of something that was way out of my comfort zone and that speaks for itself. Whatever happens, happens and it’s better to try than to live with regret of not doing something you should’ve done.
All in all, Cartel will always be one of my favourite bands because they have never disappointed me with any album release. I am proud to call myself a fan for around 7 years now and I can tell you that Chroma is definitely a milestone of an album that has made a mark throughout my adolescent years to now. Thank you, Cartel for your music and the positive impact it has provided me and the hope, love and dedication you put towards making Chroma. It will always be one of my favourites and that will never change.
::: Renowned For Sound Music Reviews ::: Jana is a 21-year old student currently based in Sydney, Australia. Writing for Renowned For Sound has given her the opportunity to take a break from her university degree and job by being able to write what she is most passionate about – music.
Since the day she got her first iPod and a broadband Internet connection, these two things have shaped her music taste till this present day.
With her love for pop punk, indie and alternative rock music, it’s no wonder she’s known to be that ‘go-to’ person when it came to finding incredible bands with amazing talent.
She believes that one of the best feelings in the world is to find a song that just clicks with you and from this day, she has never stopped believing in that.
