Most people know the typical radio-play musicians that have come out of Canada. There's Justin Bieber, Avril Lavigne, Nickleback, Arcade Fire and Three Days Grace, but what about those bands we don't hear about nearly as often? Marianas Trench is one such band. The band hails from Vancouver and has been releasing music for going on ten years. Unfortunately, you won't hear them on any American radio station.

Joshua Ramsay, the front man of Marianas Trench, is also a rhythm guitarist, song writer, producer, pianist, actor, and recording engineer. He has written songs for Carly Rae Jepson (Call Me Maybe, Guitar String / Wedding Ring), Nickleback (Satellite, She Keeps Me Up), and 5 Seconds of Summer (Story of Another Us). The other three members of the quartet consist of Mike Ayley (bassist, backup vocals), Ian Casselman (drums, backup vocals), and Matt Webb (lead guitarist, backup vocals). Since forming in 2001, Marianas Trench has released four studio albums, two EPs, and four singles not heard on those albums. Their songs range from covering serious topics on mental health, heartbreak and addiction to fun parody-esque songs with detailed instructions on how to write a chart topping pop song (it's called Pop 101 and I highly recommend it if you want a laugh).

The band’s debut full-length album Fix Me, which was released in 2006, is one of the band’s deeper albums. The majority of the songs carry an upbeat rock sound, though the lyrics are far from cheery. Songs like Skin and Bones, Alibis, and Say Anything are filled with raw emotion, touching on the lead singer’s battles with heroin addiction, self-harm, depression and an eating disorder. However, songs like Shaketramp and Decided to Break It carry a more lighthearted and catchy melody.

Moving on to their second studio album Masterpiece Theater, Marianas Trench took a step back from their punk rock sound of the first album, instead incorporating various instrumental and theatrical elements. Three songs on the album share the album’s name. Masterpiece Theater I is the opening song to the album, previewing some of the experimental styles used throughout the album. Masterpiece Theater II is a bit of a reprise of its predecessor. Masterpiece Theater III is the final song on the album and is a creative medley of all of the songs on the album, tying everything together with an epic conclusion. Along with these theatrical pieces, the album also contains ballads like Good to You and Beside You and pop-rock pieces like All to Myself, Cross My Heart, and Celebrity Status.

Ever After was the third studio album Marianas Trench released and sounds more ‘pop-y’ than previous albums. The gapless concept album tells the story of a kingdom overthrown by an evil queen and the actions taken to restore the kingdom to its original glory. The story is told not only through the lyrics, but also through the booklet released with the CD. Much like Masterpiece Theater before it, Ever After takes on many theatrical qualities. The opening song, which shares the album’s name, serves as a prelude to the trouble to come throughout the story. The album features upbeat and dancey songs like Haven’t Had Enough, Stutter, Truth or Dare, and B-Team, as well as ballads like Porcelain and So Soon. The story is beautifully concluded with No Place Like Home, which factors in lyrics from the other songs, much like the conclusion to Masterpiece Theater.

Just two weeks ago, Marianas Trench released Astoria, their fourth studio album which was highly influenced by 1980's music and films. The album name and cover art was heavily inspired by the 1985 film The Goonies. Another concept album, Ramsay describes the story as a coming-of-age-story. The album seems to follow the ups and downs of a relationship not meant to last. Four instrumental pieces written by Ramsay help illustrate passage of time between the songs, moving the story along. For longtime Marianas Trench fans, the titles and snippets of lyrics from older songs are worked into the album.

While you may not hear them on your local radio station, I highly suggest giving Marianas Trench a good listen. Pay attention to the lyrics and appreciate the music itself. The musical talent of the band in general, paired with Ramsay's incredible vocal range makes Marianas Trench unique in their own right.

All of their albums are available to listen to on Spotify and are available to purchase on iTunes.