Well I figured I should finally get to my inbox! There's some requests I won't be able to cover in time, but I'll try to do what I can. Sorry guys.
Heartless are a metallic hardcore act out of Pittsburgh. They play an abrasive, bass-heavy style not too dissimilar from Nails. After the disappointingly tame Abandon All Life though, Heartless' new 7" Certain Death feels refreshingly crass. The slower moments of the album ("Wrung Out," the beginning of "Mute," and the title track) don't drag which is perfect. There's nothing I hate more than listening hardcore band with loads of slow, boring tracks. It's a genre dominated by energy in both performance and composition, and if the music doesn't reflect that then what the hell am I listening to? Downpicking powerchords in a slightly lower than standard tuning? Worthless.
Certain Death avoids this, and appropriately Cory's vocals match the up-in-arms tempo of the album. Angry and disdainful, bleak yet not entirely lost, the lyrics convey this feeling perfectly. Blaster "Mute" in particular is strikingly pissed off and rightfully so. Frustration is as much a part of our society now as it always has been, but the rampant anonymity and the byproduct of futility in this era is truly aggravating. It struck a chord with me and it's also one of the best tracks on the 7".
At 11 minutes you get what you came for: fast, pissed off music. The closing title track serves the elements of Certain Death up on a platter: an entree of blasting hardcore, a side of d-beat, and a lethal injection of rage. That's what I like to hear. I kind of wish the vocals were mixed a bit higher though.
8.0 out of 10
Tracklisting:
1. Ruin
2. Unsewn
3. Vignette
4. Wrung Out
5. Excess
6. Mute
7. Unhinged
8. Certain Death
Listen @ CVLT Nation // Buy
No comments:
Post a Comment