and 2008. He focused more of his efforts on writing melodies and lyrics, returning to similar themes he had tackled previously. Schreifels' grunge-esque vocals had developed into a raspy baritone. The title Pedals referred to the situations that lead up to the making of the album, as Schreifels explains: "Sometimes we're uphill. There's a lot of movement and organization", in addition to using various effects pedals. The opening track "Wring It Out" featured four different guitar parts, and a bassline that recalled the one in "Travel by Telephone", the opening track from United by Fate. "69 Guns" sees an arpeggio part ascending over melodic riffs and feedback. It uses acoustic guitars, as well as a piano during the bridge section. The title is a reference to the Alarm track "68 Guns". "Eyes Wide Open" channeled their debut's brighter material, specially "Used for Glue". "Choose Your Adventure" incorporates synthesizers and an organ; it, alongside "The Ghost Is Out There", channeled the heavy sound of Quicksand. The orchestral ballad "Racing to Red Lights" occasionally had sparse, slower instrumentation; the intro to it was reminiscent of the Stratford 4's The Revolt Against Tired Noises (2002). Following track "Shot After Shot" was a combination of hardcore punk and shoegaze; it, along with "Big Waves" were new versions of tracks from their scrapped second album. The main guitar riff and verse music evolved from those sessions, while "Big Waves" retained its structure and arrangement. Both tracks were credited to the band and Traynor. "Small Doses", a Smiths-indebted track, featured Schreifels crooning and shared a thematic similarity with "Institutionalized" by Suicidal Tendencies. He said it was about having a break from other people. Release The album was delayed due to the group being in discussions with various labels, such as Vagrant Records. In March 2010, the band signed with Photo Finish Records, who had a distribution deal with major label Atlantic Records; the new record was expected for release later in the year. Siegler, who acted as the band's manager, said they were attracted to them due to their social-networking skills and that several of the people who worked with the band at Island Records during United by Fate now worked at Photo Finish. Following this, Schreifels embarked on a solo UK tour in March and April, leading up to the release of his solo album An Open Letter to the Scene in May. "Shot After