Astral Rejection

The first single to be released from the album was a demo called "Excite Dyke", which was released on June 15, 2010.{{cite web |url=https://www.aaemusic.com/artist/i-set-my-friends-on-fire/ |title=I Set My Friends on Fire |website=AAE Music |access-date=31 December 2023}} The second single, "It Comes Naturally" was released on March 21, 2011. On June 24, 2011, the third single, "Life Hertz" was released on PureVolume. On June 13, 2011, a music video for their fourth single called "Astral Rejection"{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=June 14, 2011 |title=I Set My Friends on Fire Premire "Astral Rejection" Video |url=https://www.epitaph.com/news/article/i-set-my-friends-on-fire-premire-astral-rejection-video |access-date=January 26, 2024 |website=Epitaph Records}} was released on YouTube.{{Cite web |last=Epitaph Records |date=June 13, 2011 |title=I Set My Friends On Fire - "Astral Rejection" |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNBvxrfzXEs |access-date=January 26, 2024 |website=YouTube}}

On June 16, 2011, the band began streaming the entire album on their Facebook page.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=June 16, 2011 |title=Stream I Set My Friends on Fire's New Album 'Astral Rejection' |url=https://www.epitaph.com/news/article/stream-i-set-my-friends-on-fires-new-album-astral-rejection |access-date=January 27, 2024 |website=Epitaph Records}} The album was released in stores on June 21, 2011.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=June 21, 2011 |title=I Set My Friends on Fire 'Astral Rejection' Out Now |url=https://www.epitaph.com/news/article/i-set-my-friends-on-fire-astral-rejection-out-now |access-date=January 27, 2024 |website=Epitaph Records}} The song "Fast to the End" by Thursday was included as a bonus track on some release versions of Astral Rejection. The song is given the title "Test" on the album.

The original intended version of Astral Rejection was developed with Nabil Moo on all instruments and was planned to see a release in June 2010, which went rejected by Epitaph Records. In early 2017, early pre-production demos were posted to the bands VK account. These songs include early versions of the songs "Excite Dyke", "Astral Rejection", "Narcissismfof", and "Infinite Suck"; the later half differ tremendously from the final album versions. The demos are noticeably absent of Auto-Tune, which was abundant on the final mix.

In an interview with DEAD PRESS! whilst touring the UK in 2018,{{Cite web |last=Redrup |first=Zach |date=October 22, 2018 |title=INTERVIEW: I Set My Friends On Fire (20/10/2018) |url=http://www.deadpress.co.uk/interview-i-set-my-friends-on-fire-20-10-2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181125092440/http://www.deadpress.co.uk/interview-i-set-my-friends-on-fire-20-10-2018/ |archive-date=November 25, 2018 |access-date=February 5, 2019 |website=Dead Press}} the label's decision to scrap the original version of the record caused tension between the two members and a large amount of stress on Nabil Moo forcing him to leave the band. Matt Mehana was then forced to handle the writing duties solo, later recruiting Chris Lent of From First To Last into the line-up. Mehana would later go on to state that the reason for the original version not seeing a release was due to ISMFOF presenting the record wholly to Epitaph rather than presenting song by song to the label and gradually working into a sound the label would prefer. The original release contains a remarkable absence of electronic elements to Epitaph's dismay.

Eventually the shelved original version of Astral Rejection did see an official release on March 29, 2019, through Epitaph.{{Cite web |last=Redrup |first=Zach |date=March 7, 2019 |title=NEWS: I Set My Friends On Fire to release shelved version of 'Astral Rejection'! |url=http://www.deadpress.co.uk/news-i-set-my-friends-on-fire-to-release-shelved-version-of-astral-rejection |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190308002945/http://www.deadpress.co.uk/news-i-set-my-friends-on-fire-to-release-shelved-version-of-astral-rejection/ |archive-date=March 8, 2019 |access-date=March 7, 2019 |website=Dead Press}}

{{Music ratings

| title =Astral Rejection ratings

| rev1 =AllMusic

| rev1score ={{rating|3|5}}

| rev2 =Alternative Press

| rev2score ={{rating|1|5}}

}}

Astral Rejection met with mixed-to-negative reviews. Critic Phil Freeman of the Alternative Press gave the album 1 star out of 5, stating, "The music is as annoying as ever, mixing the worst qualities of Brokencyde, I See Stars and Agoraphobic Nosebleed into one swirling blend of cheesy rave synths, ultra-affected 'extreme' vocals, talentless guitar mangling, ultra-primitive drum programming and song titles that probably seemed funny at the time ("My Paralyzed Brother Taps His Foot to This Beat", "Life Hertz", "Erectangles"). It's hard to decide which is the album's worst quality—Mehana's scratchy-throated "extreme" vocals or his lame, off-key attempts to sing cleanly."{{Cite news |last=Freeman |first=Phil |date=June 18, 2011 |title=I Set My Friends on Fire - Astral Rejection |url=http://www.altpress.com/reviews/entry/i_set_my_friends_on_fire_-_astral_rejection/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110618201313/http://www.altpress.com/reviews/entry/i_set_my_friends_on_fire_-_astral_rejection/ |archive-date=June 18, 2011 |access-date=December 31, 2023 |work=Alternative Press |pages=June 14, 2011}}

Critic Rob Sleigh of Stereoboard.com was more positive, giving the album a 6 out of 10 rating, stating, "I Set My Friends on Fire may remind of fellow Floridian metalcore band A Day to Remember, although the synth-pop technique that they frequently employ occasionally reeks with the scent of Owl City... The combination of pop music and hardcore was always a bit of a hard sell to begin with, but I Set My Friends on Fire seem to have taken this to the next level."{{Cite web |last=Sleigh |first=Rob |date=June 20, 2011 |title=I Set My Friends on Fire 'Astral Rejection' (Album Review) |url=https://www.stereoboard.com/content/view/166129/9 |access-date=January 27, 2024 |website=Stereoboard}}

Despite negative critical reception, Astral Rejection peaked at #9 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers Chart.

{{track listing

| all_writing = Matt Mehana, Chris Lent, Nabil Moo, Travis Richter, and Andrew Tapley, except where noted.

| title1 = It Comes Naturally

| length1 = 3:37

| title2 = Infinite Suck

| length2 = 3:45

| title3 = Excite Dyke

| length3 = 3:04

| title4 = My Paralyzed Brother Taps His Foot to This Beat

| length4 = 2:37

| title5 = Astral Rejection

| length5 = 4:07

| title6 = Developer, the Horn

| length6 = 3:45

| title7 = Narcissismfof

| length7 = 2:06

| title8 = Kief Catcher

| length8 = 3:09

| title9 = Erectangles

| length9 = 2:14

| title10 = Life Hertz

| length10 = 3:05

| title11 = CACAFUEGO, Nuestra Señora de la Concepción!

| length11 = 3:37

|total_length = 35:01

}}

{{track listing

| headline = Pre-Order only

| title12 = TEST

| writer12 = Geoff Rickly, Tom Keeley, Steve Pedulla, Tim Payne, Andrew Everding, Tucker Rule

| length12 = 3:22

| note12 = "Fast to the End" by Thursday

}}

{{track listing

| headline = Deluxe edition

| title12 = Excite Dyke

| note12 = Instrumental score

| length12 = 3:04

| title13 = My Paralyzed Brother Taps His Foot to This Beat

| note13 = Instrumental score

| length13 = 2:37

| title14 = Astral Rejection

| note14 = Instrumental score

| length14 = 4:07

| title15 = Life Hertz

| note15 = Instrumental score

| length15 = 3:05

}}

{{track listing

| headline = Original Version

| title1 = Phantasmagoria

| length1 = 0:48

| title2 = Excite Dyke

| length2 = 3:10

| title3 = Narcissismfof

| note3 = Lyrics later reworked into "Life Hertz", "Kief Catcher", and "My Paralyzed Brother Taps His Foot to This Beat"

| length3 = 4:05

| title4 = Party at the Moon Tower

| note4 = Lyrics later reworked into "It Comes Naturally" and "CACAFUEGO, Nuestra Señora de la Concepción!"

| length4 = 3:33

| title5 = Cantaloupe the Antelope

| note5 = Lyrics later reworked into "Developer, The Horn" and "My Paralyzed Brother Taps His Foot to This Beat"

| length5 = 4:09

| title6 = Astral Rejection

| length6 = 3:58

| title7 = Infinite Suck

| length7 = 3:38

| title8 = Rebornphin

| length8 = 3:26

| title9 = Commit to the Hypothetical

| length9 = 1:20

| title10 = The Zenith Anniversary Stab

| note10 = Guitar riffs later reworked into "It Comes Naturally" and lyrics later reworked into "It Comes Naturally" and "Narcissismfof"

| length10 = 5:14

}}

• Astral Rejection album personnel as listed on Allmusic.{{Cite news |last=Heaney |first=Gregory |title=I Set My Friends on Fire - Astral Rejection |work=AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/astral-rejection-mw0002143948 |access-date=December 31, 2023}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

• Matt Mehana - vocals, lyrics, programming, composer
• Chris Lent - drums, programming, percussion, keyboards, synthesizers, guitars, composer{{Cite web|url=https://www.epitaph.com/artists/i-set-my-friends-on-fire/release/astral-rejection|title=I Set My Friends on Fire - Astral Rejection|date=June 21, 2011|website=Epitaph Records}}

• Andrew Tapley - guitars, bass, composer
• Nabil Moo - composer
• Travis Richter - composer
• Matt Manning - bass (OG version)
• Thursday - hidden track labeled "Test"

• Travis Richter - producer, engineer
• Lee Dyess - engineer
• Bryan Gonzalez - assistant engineer
• Sonny Kay - artwork, layout
• Blair Dickerson - logo

{{col-end}}

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Category:2011 albums

Category:I Set My Friends on Fire albums

Category:Epitaph Records albums