Hopes Die Last - Trust No One

I'll admit, I was apprehensive when I first saw this band. They were on a list with Modern Day Escape, Black Veil Brides, and Freshman 15, all bands I don't like. I almost skipped right over Hopes Die Last, thinking they wouldn't be any better than the other bands on that list. Can I please go back and smack myself silly for thinking that? I freaking love this band!!!

"Unleash Hell" was the first thing that popped up on YouTube when I typed in Hopes Die Last. Very strange but cool video, and even better song. It was just awesome. Straight forward, heavy metal-core, but they're not trying too hard like many other metal-core bands out there. The focus isn't on looks or certain band members, the focus is rightly on the music (even though their clean vocalist IS really cute = ] haha!).

As someone who's primarily an extreme metal listener, I consider myself a pretty good judge of scream vocals, and I say Hopes Die Last has a freaking brutal screamer on vocals. And on "Unleash Hell" he breaks down into death metal style growling, yay! Their clean vocalist has a beautiful voice; he has a fantastic range, mixing in with the brutality  to positive results. And he's really good looking too. All right! All right! Back to the music! I can be professional, I promise!

Key tracks: "Unleash Hell," "This Song Plays Suicide," and "Life After Me Life After You." A lot of the songs don't have much of an intro, often diving straight into screams, and a little bit of an intro wouldn't hurt. But, it doesn't take away from the songs at all, instead shows how in-your-face awesome they are.

Um, they did a cover of Katy Perry's "Firework." Take a moment to let that sink in. You good? Prepare yourself, they did awesome. Though that's hardly surprising, they're phenomenal. I despise Katy Perry, but this was a damn good song. Yes, I'm now considering it Hope Dies Last's song. They play it much better than she does anyway.

Unfortunately, the metal-core scene is full of I'm-so-hardcore, look-how-much-gore-we-have-in-our-videos-not-at-our-mediocre-playing ignoramooses. Luckily, Hopes Die Last is much better than those idiots. Their album, "Trust No One" is flat out brilliant. Melding together heavy as hell guitars with pitch-perfect synths, and sprinkling in marvelous duel vocals, it's just a terrific album from a tremendously talented band. If you like Motionless In White, or are wishing that Modern Day Escape didn't suck, you'll like this band. =) Now go buy this album!!! You won't regret it!!


--Gorgeous Nightmare



 

Fit For A King - Descendants

Metalcore!? What the fuck does that mean? Is it metal? Is it hardcore? Is it some kind of awesome hybrid much like a zonkey or a manbearpig? Or is it a shitty excuse for a talent-less band to claim to be both metal and hardcore in order to gain notoriety playing to a bunch of tweens who are just discovering “heavy” music. All of these things are and can be true. With this said, anytime I am sent a new band to take a listen to and they label themselves a metalcore  band I both cringe and die a little bit inside. This however was not the case in regards to Fit For A King’s latest album, Descendants.

The boys in Fit For A King start things off with the instrumental track, “Il Diluvio” which leads into the heavy breakdown laden, “Ancient Waters”.  Now I am not a religious man but that has never shied me away from listening to my fair share of “Christ core” bands.  This song is about the return of Jesus and the denouncing of Satan. Pretty good song full of angry and clean vocals, with plenty of breakdowns.

“I have come to destroy his work, to cleanse the Earth of his name. Let my words pour down and consume this flame. You will know judgment. You will know suffering. The currents of this world have pulled you under, will you overcome these tides? You have been weighed down by the very thing that made you feel alive. Do you have the strength to stay above the waves or stay on dry land? Or are you weak standing in the dark and just coming up for air? (Do you have the strength?). Tonight we'll see this through. And now my heads above the water as I'm reaching out to you. Tonight we'll see this through. The waves are crashing over me as I try to get to you. Every eye will see him and the Earth will shake. Everyone will fear him until there's nothing left. (Everyone will see him, and everyone will fear him). Will you survive? Tonight we'll see this through. And now my hands above the water as I'm reaching out to you. Tonight we'll see this through. The waves are crashing over me as I try to get to you. This is the voice of God pouring from my lungs. Will you survive?”

Another stand out track on this album is “Buried”. Much of the same. Heavy breakdowns and a good mix of clean and screamed vocals. This song is about most of the same, struggle between good and evil.

“I sit here humble and meek. I stand still looking to fill this void. Step into the light. What are we searching for? With our hands held high. There is nothing to lose. Will you take the leap? I'm only scared of tomorrow. We need to die today. Pull the reigns. Can't you control yourself? Buried in thought we waste our lives questioning and what do we have to show? Stained red, You paid the price. Stand your ground, stand face to face. We are getting darker, but I can see what's fast ahead right in front of me. The world is falling deeper, but you're the light I see. The light we see. Alpha of love. Omega of death. I am buried, I am born again. Consumed by love, your love has changed me. Consumed by love, your love has saved me.”

Overall if, if you’re looking for a good nostalgic Metalcore album look no further. Honestly I think I liked this album more than I should of…but that’s a good thing.

Fit For A King goes good with: Gwen Stacy, Underoath, Horizons, Close Your Eyes, Sleeping Giant, Hands

-Cicatriz