ZEHTROID ZVN - HUNTERS GROVE

Deep in the heart of the UK is an underground hip-hop scene waiting to blow up. Within this scene is the extraordinary Zehtroid VZN. Zehtroid has been making a name for himself and his music, making music for the vagabonds of the Kozmiq Realm. The Planet Switchaz leader has recently just dropped his new mixtape: "Hunters Grove".

We kick off with Deathinition. The beat somewhat mixes old 90's hip-hop synths underneath an insane trap drumbeat. Zehtroid goes in hard, leaving smoke coming from the earphones as he spits lyrics of absolute fire. Op's better watch out, he speaks the tongue of the Dragonborn.

Dark Magician gets you in the mood to groove on a night out as the dubby house/grime beat fills the speakers. The beat is bouncy and lifting, elevating your mood and teleporting you back to a time of spinning house records at parties in East London while you're tanning a bottle of Thunderbird.

Switchin is short and sweet but it's a catchy national Planet Switchaz anthem, bigging up all of Planet Switch. If you don't know already, get to know now.

Like Thunder comes in lethal. It's a war song. It's one for the squad getting ready for a fight. Zeht goes mercenary on the beat and holds no prisoners whatsoever. The utterly fantastic Bone$ The Spitta guest features and proceeds to throw vocal semtex in the booth too. Listen to this one, it's an essential for your playlist.

War Chief Swan hosts a tight, dirty sounding grimy undertone. Think old Dizzee Rascal meets Fatboy Slim infused drum n bass. You're hooked from the start. The vocals are on point, the beat is point, there is literally nothing I can fault. It's a floor filler.

As for the rest of this, I will let you experience the magic of it yourself. I feel that I owe you all that. This release from start to finish is absolutely fantastic. You will not find one track similar to the next, which for me personally is very appealing. Zehtroid VZN is killing it right now and when you listen to Hunters Grove, you'll understand the hype around London's youngest and, without a fail to mention, one of the hardest underground hip-hop artists right now.

You can find Hunters Grove along with Zehtroid VZN's untouchable extensive discography right here. 

Until next time folks, big up Planet Switchaz and my boy Zehtroid. 

What did you think of Hunters Grove? Let me know in the comments.

WRETCH 32 - 6 WORDS SINGLE REVIEW

Apart from guest appearances on songs such as Hangover (by Starboy Nathan, 2011), Teardrops (Children in Need. Various Artists, 2011), Off With Their Heads (by Devlin, 2012) and Go In, Go Hard (by Angel, 2012), Wretch 32 hasn't really been on the scene. 

Sure, he dropped two singles last year; Blackout featuring Shakira and Doing OK featuring Jacob Banks. Despite those, Wretch really hasn't been doing much it seems. However, that's all changing now that he's just dropped his latest single which was premiered by Zane Lowe on BBC Radio 1, who made it his "Hottest Record in The World", and MistaJam on BBC Radio 1Xtra: "6 Words".

The slow house-esque beat and lightly strummed guitar notes captivate your ears upon first listen, sucking you in and getting you lost in the moment. Wretch sings softly, speaking words of love.  Everything stays calm up until the build-up about a minute in where we start to hear a drum 'n' bass drumline fading in. 

The drop is climatic, hitting your eardrums like a ton of bricks. It's a mix of what sounds like jungle and house over the still softly sung lyrics. This club banger is so catchy you'll be singing the line; "I've found my treasure in you" over and over for days. 

This is a great release for Wretch and it makes me hopeful to hear more from him soon. My only disappointment is that he dropped it so late into the year. Releasing a track in November? I guess that means we won't hear anything else new until 2015. Fingers crossed that there's more killers like this.

Find the official video below:

You can download 6 Words By Wretch 32 on iTunes.

You can also listen to the single on Spotify.

Until next time folks, peace.

What did you think of Wretch 32's new single? Let me know in the comments below.

CASTRO - THE RIVER NEED

When I was younger, I was a big fan of The Distillers. Female fronted punk? What doesn’t rock about that? That’s what I love so much about my new favourite Norwegian post-hardcore punk rockers, CASTRO. Just released is their fantastic debut album: “The River Need”.

CASTRO are a brand new band, fresh to the ears of the punk community. However, those of the scene who are familiar with their Norwegian punk will definitely want to tune in. Featuring members from Israelvis, Angor Wat and boasting Katja Benneche Osvold from Life… But How To Live It  on vocals, CASTRO are essentially a Norwegian punk supergroup.  

The album kicks off with Our Loss. Weighing in at just over a minute long, the fast pace and snappy lyrics are enough to start a quick pogo pit. It’s short, sweet and punk gold.

Smooth Operator may look like a filler due to the length, but it’s much more than just a track to be glazed over. The lyrics are sung fast, the kick drum doesn’t find time to slow down, the guitar’s are doing overtime and before you know it, the fun is all over. If you want to fully appreciate this, you’re going to want to put it on loop a couple of times. Spin this track a couple of times, you won’t regret it.

“It’s a long, long way. It’s a long, long way”, Back To Basic. This has to be a highlight for me. The riff is metallic punk, the bass is heavy and the drums are pacy. The aggression of the instrumental behind the rock style sung vocals go hand in hand. From start to finish, you’re headbanging. You’ll be singing the chorus to this one for a while afterwards.

The best of The River Need to me is the short, essential straight up punk songs. (Your) Hidden Agenda (Is So Obvious) is just that. The snare is raw, the riffs are crunchy, the vocals kill and the band take it straight to the punch. There is no messing around on this one.

Named after the album, The River Need is another favoruite track. CASTRO manage to balance fast and slow perfectly, finding a good common ground inbetween key speed parts. The track is much more dark and personal. It’s a sad punk song.

Other tracks to keep your ears open for are Indigo, Detective, Pagan Lullaby and Paleface, which I personally recommend.

21st century punk is killing it. CASTRO have found themselves an exceptional sound and deserve recognition. If you don’t know them yet, get to know them right now. The River Need is an impressive release and I’m very excited to see what comes in the future for the Norwegian punk rockers.

You can buy The River Need by CASTRO on the Boss Tuneage store.

Listen to Our Loss by CASTRO below and form an opinion: 

Until next time folks, don't drink and drive.

What did you think of The River Need? Let me know in the comments below!

WWE SMACKDOWN - 7/11/2014

Friday night means one thing for me and one thing only. It means staying in bed watching my second favourite show of the week: "WWE SmackDown".  It's the sports entertainment battleground for storylines unfolding, excitement, drama, and feuds being continued and even started. All of this happening both inside and outside of the ring. When you watch WWE, you're always guaranteed some sort of action; be that verbal or physical.

As a writer, I feel that filling you all in with what's been going on is slightly risky and so to avoid spoiling the ongoings within the WWE Universe, I have decided not to follow through with writing up a five point recap just incase any of my readers are yet to see what's going on and would like to see it for themselves first as opposed to seeing it from me. I urge you all to keep up with both RAW and SmackDown. If you haven't watched either one or both of them yet, pick up the remote and get stuck in! Sorry if this disappoints anybody.

This Friday's edition of SmackDown which was filmed in Albany, NY was bound for glory from the beginning. The match listings alone were phenomenal. Here's a non-spoiler match listing for everybody:

• Stardust & Goldust Vs. The Usos in a Steel Cage Match for the WWE Tag Team Championship.
• Ryback Vs. Cesaro
• Adam Rose Vs. R-Truth
• Natalya Vs. Summer Rae
• Kane Vs. Dolph Ziggler in a Steel Cage Match.

It should also be mentioned that the one and only Captain Charisma, Christian held his controversial "Peep Show" this week. Known to many as both The Unstable One and The Lunatic Fringe, Dean Ambrose starred as a guest on the show.

What I found most special on this week's edition of SmackDown was the segment featuring the military veteran and hero, Sergeant Dan Rose. The WWE's consistent support and commitment to the military is heartwarming to fans nationwide and what they did this week to continue their support was nothing less than the best of standards. Read part of WWE's statement below:

"SERGEANT DAN ROSE TO BE FEATURED TONIGHT ONSMACKDOWN®

WWE has a longstanding commitment to the military, which includes our annual Tribute to the Troops holiday tradition, a partnership with Hire Heroes USA and regular visits to military bases around the world. Tonight on SmackDown, WWE continues its support with a special segment featuring Sergeant Dan Rose, an army veteran living with paralysis.

Sergeant Rose was in the Army Reserves for 10 years and served in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan until he was injured by an Improvised Explosive Device in 2011 that left him paralyzed from the chest down. Through the support of a non-profit organization, SoldierSocks, Sergeant Rose was provided with an Ekso Bionics GT™ robotic exoskeleton, a suit that enables individuals with paralysis to stand up and walk..."

WWE never fail to entertain me and as a fan, I feel completely satisfied with this week's edition of SmackDown. Tonight proves just why WWE are at the top of their game and why SmackDown is one of the most watched shows on television. WWE truly are the King of Kings of Sports Entertainment.

If you'd like to relive SmackDown, you can replay it on the WWE Network which is FREE for the month of November. This includes Survivor Series for free too. Unfortunately, for us in the UK, we will have to stick to Sky for now until further times such as being given The WWE Network here on our waters.

Watch the absolutely inspiring segment of Sergeant Dan Rose below:

Until next time folks, don't sell out; Buy In.

What did you think of SmackDown? What's your thoughts on everything going on? We, The People want to hear what you have to say in the comments!

WWE SUPERSTARS - HAZE OF GLORY

There's nothing that tickles my fancy more than WWE. Like their very own John Cena, I'm extremely passionate about the company. That's why I was so excited to plow into the extremely entertaining four part mini-series of WWE Superstars: "Haze Of Glory". Credits go to the incredible Shane Riches and WWE Hall Of Famer and former hardcore legend, Mick Foley who are the writers of these masterpieces.

When I was on Buchanan Street on Wednesday, my adorable girlfriend noticed me looking sad as we passed by the Glasgow branch of Forbidden Planet. Taking into account the amount of time she had made me spend looking at make up with her that day, she insisted that we went in to look at comics as a means of putting a big ol' smile on my face. 

Out of nowhere, I suddenly took an urge to find wrestling comics all the while at this time still being totally unaware of their existence. Luckily for me, a friendly man helped me find the WWE Superstars collection. 

With only nine issues published to date and the production coming from America, it deems a challenge finding all nine in the UK without paying over the odds for the whole bundle. I bought the four that were on offer and luckily in the selection available were two issues from the Haze Of Glory series.  During a sprawl of the internet when I got home, I managed to find out that my two issues were infact the middle parts to the story. Fortunately, the web came to my rescue, aiding me with two PDF copies of the two issues that I did not have physical copies of. This gave me the opportunity to read the full story and further, review something close to my chest: Wrestling (in the style of comics, but that's besides the point).

First of all, let me give you a summary of what to expect:

Expect influences ranging from Dungeons And Dragons to Conan The Barbarian. Our own Daniel Bryan certainly looks very similar to Arnold Schwarzenegger from time to time in this comic. Expect Monday Night Raw in full blown chaos and at the brink of complete desolation. Expect twists and turns. Expect epic proportions of complete madness. I don't want to really spoil anything for interested fans so please go out and read this so you can fully understand where I am coming from.

From start to finish, there's an abundance of laughs. It's comical, witty and definitely shouldn't be read too harshly. It's light heartedness makes for a good, entertaining read that'll have any regular wrestling fan smirking. HoG focused primarily on the antics of CM Punk, Rey Mysterio, Daniel Bryan and Hornswoggle. At first, I was like "you're pairing these guys up? Really?". By the end, I couldn't have imagined a different set of wrestlers taking their place. Guest features from the likes of the infamous Hulk Hogan and Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat made for exciting reading. The illustration and plot both reminded me of Scooby Doo, but hey; who doesn't love Scooby!? A certain Big Show stuck inside a giant ape costume further backed this for me. Sure, it may sound bananas but that's what makes it so good.

It was refreshing to see a lighter side to the likes of The Undertaker. As menacing as he always has been and will be, he almost came across TOO face (face are the good guys in wrestling, heels are the bad guys) but his tough edges kept his signature Deadman personality. 

My favourite part out of the four was: "The Hour of the Dragon" or as it's also known as, "The Bryborian Age". This was the final part to the series and as clichéd as the saying is, they truly did save the best for last... Brother. Hulkamania certainly ran wild on this one.

Go out and pick this up. Read this and enjoy it just as much as me. Buy it for yourself, buy it for your kids, share it with your friends; let the world know about the WWE Superstars comics and tell everyone how Haze Of Glory rules. It's best for business.

You can find all the information you need about every issue of WWE Superstars over at Super Genius.

Until next time folks, don't stop BO-lieving.

What do you think of WWE Superstars? Better yet, what did you think of Haze Of Glory? Let me know in the comments below!

XAVIER WULF - BLOOD SHORE SEASON 2

2014 has been an amazing year for underground hip-hop. Many a good mixtape has been passed to the community to devour.  Now that the last few months of the year are upon us, releases are becoming fewer and further between.  On October 26th, Hollow Squad's finest Xavier Wulf gave us an exceptional early Christmas present. He dropped the phenomenal: "Blood Shore Season 2", the follow up to last summer's first tape in the Blood Shore collection.

The first thing you have to understand before you listen to this is that you are about to underground royalty. The dark, eery, trap infused tape is an incredible listen from start to finish. The beats are of usual standard which for the record is very high in terms of cloud trap. The lyricism and flow from Xavier are both held in high regards in my book and the tracks are tackled head on to provide that authentic dark hollowsquad sound.

The tape kicks off hard with Thunder Man. It's heavy, it's angry and it's sure to have you cooking like Lil B except you're going harder in the paint than Waka Flocka himself. The beat has a shady high tone over the deep, hypnotic killer bass. This is one for the squad.

A personal highlight for me on this mixtape is Pride Rock Wulf. The repetitive wind instrument that's looped in the instrumental has a strange sound as if its almost being played normally but meant to sound like it's rewinding. Xavier could pass his flow off as talking nearly with his speed taken down a few notches to give a more deadly vibe. The lyrics are grim as a new tone is set on this track. Do not piss off Xavier Wulf.

For the most, Blood Shore Season 2 is a lone Wulf release. Red Tide features the talented Chris Travis who has the only guest spot on the whole mixtape. The song is short but snappy with hard hitting lines being dropped like bombshells all over the instrumental.

Xavier signs off the tape with The Absence of Evidence, Isn't The Evidence Of Absence. The almost two minute long outro loops a sample from the popular Mr Brightside by The Killers. This goes on for the full track with trap inspired drumbeats playing over the top. The two blend in together well, making for what would be a very interesting instrumental to lay lyrics down on.

Blood Shore Season 2 has been an extremely enjoyable listen. The down tempo beats go perfectly with Xavier Wulf's energetic and at times aggressive verses spread across the mixtape. The Captain gives Hollow Squad a reputation to be reckoned with and dared to be tarnished. This is a record to be proud of and in the world of underground hip-hop, this tape is bound to be huge. Now to just sit and wait for this to blow up.

You can download Blood Shore Season 2 by Xavier Wulf right here or you can just listen below.

Until next time folks, stay hydrated.

What did you think of the mixtape? Did you dig it? Wasn't really your thing? Tell me what you're thinking in the comments!

JAY Z - MAGNA CARTA HOLY GRAIL

Weighing in with 12 number 1 solo albums, over 55 million overall sales, a whopping $250 million net worth according to Forbes and the most beautiful celebrity wife in the world;
Jay Z ultimately has it all. It's no surprise that his talent still shines in his last release: "Magna Carta... Holy Grail".

The double platinum 2013 album was a massive success. It peaked at number 1 in both the UK Top 40 Albums and US Billboard 200 selling 528,000 copies in the first week. The record was arguably one of the hottest albums of the year. Featuring a heavy arsenal of guests such as Justin Timberlake, Rick Ross, Frank Ocean, Nas and Pharrell it leaves Magna Carta standing as a heavyweight release. 

The albums instrumentals are trap infused, dub bass, synthetic FX looped, experimental art. Much like Picasso would except with paint, Jay Z bends and breaks the surface, redefining sounds in order to create his personal visual vision.

Take the first track as a perfect example. Holy Grail starts in the style of a ballad with Justin Timberlake taking the lead. The instrumental is piano based and the strong vocals are sung in a melancholic melody. The chorus then kicks off an unexpected loop of 808s and synths. Jay leads the verses here on and features a Nirvana reference, singing lyrics from Smells Like Teen Spirit. Had Kurt Cobain been alive to hear this, I'm sure that he would approve even simply due to his love for freedom of expression and his creativity. This song is a masterpiece.

Tom Ford was carried as one of three singles from the album and is a personal favourite of mine. The track's deep bass will have your speakers pounding like a Haymaker. The song carries two unique sounds that really stick this track out there for me. The first is hard to put words to. It can only be described as a hip-hop xylophone beat in a large tin room with echoing acoustics. The second is a choppy, morphing 8-bit arcade style synth. They fit the song perfectly.

Oceans is another highlight from Magna Carta.  Frank Ocean's voice is soothing to the ear as he sings his piece with perfection. His voice sounds both elegant and beautiful. Jay executes his bars with style and uses intriguing wordsmanship. It may not be a club smasher but it deserves a place on every playlist across the country for personal admiration of the songs beauty.

Further highlights from the album are F.U.T.W, Crown, Heaven, Part II (On The Run) which features his beautiful other half Beyoncé and the more personal JAY Z Blue. 

Magna Carta Holy Grail is a wonder from start to finish and certainly deserves a place on any hip-hop fans shelf. For those who are open to expanding their musical tastes, this should be an album you try. Jay Z has produced a masterful album of art that needs exhibited to the masses.

You can purchase Magna Carta Holy Grail right here!

Until next time folks, i'm heading to Somewhereinamerica.

What did you think of the album? Let me know in the comments.

SLIPKNOT - .5: THE GRAY CHAPTER

After 6 years of no fresh material and hearbreak, pain and misery due to the loss of valued band members, the last thing you'd expect is a crunching new album to be released from out of nowhere. 2014 came as a breath of fresh air to Slipknot fans with their new album: ".5: The Gray Chapter"

Named after the deceased former bassist Paul Gray, the album pays homage to one of Slipknot's most exceptional members. Following the departure of Slipknot's drummer Joey Jordison too, it was intriguing what would come of this album. Despite Joey's cut off and Paul's death, Slipknot have leapt through rings of fire with their new material. It's raw, it's ruthless and it feels like Iowa has came back to town; this time bigger, badder, better.

Riffs crash upon your ears from start to finish, making sure they leave their mark. The melodic fillers that you find within songs such as Killpop hold still a dark, doomy essence. Also, it feels very adamant to mention that Slipknot's new drummer provides unbelievable skills keeping listeners perked up and attentive to the sound of blastbeats, extraordinary double bass rolls and signature drum fills. 

Corey Taylor's voice has not lost its touch over the course of time, sounding just as good and just as murderous as ever. The vocals on this are killer. If you don't end up being convicted of either GBH, attempted murder, murder itself or manslaughter after tuning in to this, you're either not listening close enough or you're just not feeling the album enough. Either way, you're not doing it right.

.5: The Gray Chapter hosts an array of many new fiery tracks such as The Devil In I, Lech, Nomadic, Custer and The Negative One. Please bare in mind; these are only personal highlights. There is not one song that I heard that I would ever in my wildest dreams think about skipping. Doing so would be a crime and should be punishable by death. 

Slipknot have done Maggots across the nation proud with .5: The Gray Chapter and remain on top of their A-Game. This album is what the Ruthless Aggression is to WWE. Iowa remains as the definitive Attitude Era. Corey and the pack have pulled off yet another smash hit album. 

You can purchase Slipknot's new album .5: The Gray Chapter right here!

You can purchase tickets to their upcoming tour with Korn titled "Prepare For Hell" right here.

Until next time folks, stay (Sic).

What did you think of the new album? Did you love it? Hate it? Are you moshing? Whatever you have to say, say it in the comments.

ENTER SHIKARI - THE LAST GARRISON

Last night on the Wednesday 22nd October edition of Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show, it was set out to be a big night for Enter Shikari. Quoted right now as the "Hottest Record In The World", Zane was given the honour of playing the world premier debut of Enter Shikari's new single: "The Last Garrison".

The post-hardcore experimental electronic quintet from  St Albans, Hertfordshire last released a series of three singles creating a three track EP named after one of the tracks called Rat Race in November 2013. The Last Garrison is the first single to be released by Enter Shikari from their forthcoming album The Mindsweep which is set to be released on the 19th of January 2015.

Focusing much more on their electronic sound now, Enter Shikari's new single is much more radio friendly all the while still carrying that unique sound that you expect from them. The heavy sweeps are key to producing classic Shikari and the heavy experimental hardcore influenced parts of the song that we do have are loud, in your face, drum and bass, metallic dubby breakdown bliss. Rou's voice sounds good as ever and his yelling never cease to please. It's very relieving that Enter have kept to their roots despite their new musical taste.

The Garrison is catchy and holds its own with the new poppy, upbeat vibes that shine throughout the verses. The drum and bass influence is very appealing and energetic having you cranking up the volume and maxing out your speakers. 

Being only the first release from The Mindsweep, The Garrison has me wetting myself in anticipation for hopefully one or two more singles from the album before the release early next year. Enter Shikari are totally on point and the direction they're taking holds promise for excellence. 

You can watch the video for The Garrison right below:

Until next time folks, see you on the other side.

What did you think of Enter Shikari's latest single? Let me know in the comments section!

WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS - UNRAVELLING

What started out as just a four piece band from Edinburgh performing their first gig back in 2003 at their schools 'battle of the bands' , which they won by the way, quickly elevated and became so much more for the Scottish indie rockers We Were Promised Jetpacks. 

"Unravelling" to many is a mature, coming of age album that shows a completely different side to a band who have been looking to grow into the more developed act that they are now. Not only is the album an example of great success to most, but it's a spanner in the works for fans of their old sound because of their now more sophisticated style of playing which leaves old indie kids wondering; what ever happened to the boys who recorded These Four Walls back in 2009? As a longtime fan of WWPJ, I myself prefer older tracks such as It's Thunder and It's Lightening and Quiet Little Voices as opposed to the more trend fitting, radio friendly songs being recorded now.

As we all know, the cycle of fashion and the cycle of music and so on all end up being regurgitated and finding themselves back in the eyes of a newer generation every so often. the 80s and 90s are clashing across the nation right now with a fresh wave of youths experimenting and dabbling with bits and pieces from both eras. Something that seems to be very in is the old sound of electro pop. This is something I noticed We Were Promised Jetpacks buying into almost instantly when first listening to the album. Not only did I feel this way but I also felt that they were playing into the hands of experimenting with a more soft indie grunge sound at times. This is indie for the hipsters of indie.

Safety In Numbers fades in with a keyboard loop that sounds like a Motorola ringtone. Very much a friendly reminder of Depeche Mode. The vocals sound like a Scottish fusion of trying to be Brandon Flowers and Alex Turner whilst unfortunately not living up to the aforementioned artists. Besides these criticisms, the song is actually enjoyable. The instrumental picks up while the singing stays monotone which adds both good contrast and an ease to enjoy the backing track and singing separately, focusing on the song for it's musical depth rather than just hearing a stramash of instruments and lyrics being flung at you all the while being underproduced like you hear from many good artists with potential these days.

Peaks And Troughs are where it's at for me on the new album. It's that old key sound that I love to hear. The bassline and guitar carries a good partnership keeping it calm before the storm that awakes not long after the halfway point of the song. The volume feels louder, the piano is soothing yet able to build a climatic atmosphere and finally when we hear the melodic riffs and rumbling drum fills, we know we are at the peak of an exceptional track. This is a number to indulge yourself in.

I Keep It Composed somewhat reminds me of One From The Road from Arctic Monkeys' AM. The song sounds like it could pass as a hit from bands such as Kings Of Leon. The bassline is funky, the drumbeat is hypnotic and the guitars trendy indie overdrive makes for good listening. Not the old We Were Promised Jetpacks but a nice mature sound.

For fans who have been around We Were Promised Jetpacks for at least a good few years, this will be a hit or miss situation. Much like Marmite, you will either love it or hate it. There are definitely some peak tracks on Unravelling such as the mentioned Peaks And Troughs, Peace Sign,  Bright Minds and Moral Compass.

There's enough material that I enjoy to rate this a confident must have yet there's still a feeling of discontent due to what feels like a true to their word band with moral values selling out. Bands do need to progress and mature, that much is true. However, it sometimes does come as shock horror when a band with a good sound change almost completely. Go ahead and give it a listen, see if you agree.

You can purchase Unravelling by We Were Promised Jetpacks right here!
You can find all releases on the FatCat Records store!

Find this review also over at Backstage Pass! (I guest blog for them!)

Until next time folks, to infinity and beyond!

What did you think of Unravelling? Did you either love it or hate it? Do you hold an opinion on the album? Whatever it may be, post it in the comments!

HAVE HEART - SONGS TO SCREAM AT THE SUN

Boston's always been renowned for having an untouchable hardcore scene boasting bands such as Bane, Converge, Defeater, Slapshot, In My Eyes, Righteous Jams, SS Decontrol, Negative FX, DYS and Ten Yard Fight. Most notably, they have also had one of, if not THE most successful straight edge scenes ever. The Boston bands have always had a unique, original sound which would segregate them from just the average bunch and show their worth to a music scene that's dependent on real, true artists with a punch that could flat out stop a heart. Mentioning the heart, that reminds me of another Boston powerhouse: Have Heart.

Very good melodic hardcore for me comes very few and far between. With Have Heart, you're given nothing less than perfectness. A forefront in the resurgent Boston scene, the band came together in 2002. In 2003, they released their debut demo which perked up the ears of Think Fast! Records who would go on to sign them for their release of What Counts (Which you can purchase here) in 2004. This was the band's first EP. Like many legendary hardcore bands, Have Heart found themselves being signed to the prestigious Bridge 9 in 2006. That same year they would go on to release The Things We Carry, the bands first full length. The band would then go on to become one of the most critically acclaimed hardcore bands of the current time with their July 8th 2008 release: "Songs To Scream At The Sun".

Vocalist Patrick Flynn says that "Songs to Scream At The Sun is the coming of age story. It's about the growing process of a young kid shaking the chains of selfishness, but it's everything about what you lose and gain in that process of growing up." These words echo truth as you listen to the album. Full of painstaking and heartbreaking lyrics, you can feel the reality of the tracks as Pat racks his angst filled throat to provide an insightful experience for the listener. 

We start off by hearing The Same Son, a melodic introductory track that provides an atmospherical benefit to the album before hitting us in the face with Bostons. The riffs are in your face, the drums pound your ears and the band show us what they're all about and what kind of band they are with this release. Melodic yet raw, emotions are everywhere with this one. The song provides a look into the eyes of a who grew up in Boston in a tough neighbourhood with no support coming from his alcoholic father. "so I could be the boy you couldn't be, have the father you didn't get to see, have the youth you did not get to live or feel the love this world forgot to give."  Lyrics such as these stamp this with a real sense of what a tough life is, making this stand out even more. Hardcore is where songs like this belong. I love it.

Pave Heart starts fast and boosts the tempo up as Have Heart unleash their energy and anger. Although there may be melodic tones, the riffs certainly still sound heavy underneath the roaring of drums. Like the aforementioned track, the energy is again kept at a peak for the most of the first half of On The Bird In The Cage. This is one for the heartbreaks. It's all about loving someone enough to walk away if you're truly not good for that person. It's something close to many's hearts and Pat's take on this is truly beautiful. Words like "because I fucking need you like air I fucking breathe" speak volumes and should certainly feel relatable to anybody who has ever been in love. 

The speed is taken down a notch again as a lower tempo melody is played at the start of Brotherly Love. I can almost feel the aching as the lyrics come belting through my speakers. A true pain can be heard from start to finish. Musically, it's out of this world. Mood wise, it's a killer. Next up comes the ever so great and well loved No Roses, No Skies. It's loud and brash, it's fast and it'll have you jumping off your couch. This song is a classic. It's packed with heart and it's not hard to tell. It really tells you that the image being sold to females across the nation is a farce and that women are beautiful in their own right without product and should stand up knowing they are strong without a man and worthy of the great joys that this world can grant. This is a highlight of the album and a track which peaks in their discography.

The Taste Of The Floor is only a minute long and although it may be short, it's far from being just a filler on the album in my opinion. It's crunching hardcore and it packs some heat. The aggression of the cymbals crashing and drum rolls and the vocals towards the end leave you wanting more out of this track before it fades out and transitions literally perfectly into the filler which is Reflections. The drums are focused on mostly whilst guitars lie underneath striking long chords. It doesn't have much purpose but it could work as an atmospherical extended outro to it's predecessor which would certainly be better as a longer track.

"October leaves on Massachusetts' trees." is the memorable opening line of Hard Bark on The Family Tree. This is my favourite track on the album. It varies in pace and switches it up between it's more crossover punky and melodic hardcore sound which does the song the world of favours. The words are powerful and the instrumental is phenomenal. To understand my strong feelings on this track you have to go and listen to this, right now. The Same Sun wraps up the album with excellent execution and style. It's heavy enough to make you want to cause a storm in the room but melodic enough to keep the head on it. It's balance keeps the energy on a hairline which works well in this occasion. A fantastic piece and an ending track which sets the standards for any other melodic hardcore bands and hardcore bands in general.

The album doesn't have one song that I'll ever skip. There's nothing I'd change except for maybe taking out the unnecessary filler and extending The Taste Of The Floor but asides this, Songs To Scream At The Sun is a masterpiece. Own this and you'll understand exactly why Have Heart deserve all the credit they get.

You can purchase Have Heart merchandise and musical releases from the Bridge 9 online store!

Until next time folks, you stay classy San Diego.

What did you think of Songs To Scream At The Sun? Fly your views into the comments section and discuss with me your thoughts on the band and the album!