Year: 2017
Country: Australia
City: Brisbane
Label: UNFD
Format: CD, LP
Tracks: 12
Time: 45 min.
Genre: rock
Style: Metalcore
Australia is home for some of the best metalcore and melodic hardcore bands. With new releases flooding in every year, 2017 was no exception. Prominent Australian acts such as THY ART IS MURDER, ALPHA WOLF and IN HEARS WAKE have all released their respective albums this year, and the latter is a band that I have been following ever since they dropped their sophomore effort. With a blessed Melodic Metalcore sound, these young metallers geared up to release their new full-length “Ark” earlier this year; “Ark” follows “Skydancer” (2015), ‘Earthwalker’ (2014), and ‘Divination’ (2012). When it comes to their best releases I would say that “Skydancer” and “Earthwalker” top the list. Let us see whether this album changed my perspective on their best release or not. The Album Art was familiar for me, as I saw the same imagery done by While She Sleeps; both of these bands have used multi-lingual titles on their artwork, which represents unity, in my opinion. The album starts off with the title track “Ark”, which is basically is a minute-long intro that has some environmental noises and ambient sound textures. We get the typical IHW vibes on the second track “Passages”, which is followed by “Nomad” that hits the playlist with more heavier sound. Towards the end of this song we get a heavy and brutal breakdown with an energetic pre-breakdown line, Liberate Me….. Throughout the album I noticed their skills in transitioning between the Cleans and Screams without much difficulty. The heavy chuggy salm-muted guitar riffs intertwined with steady drumming compliment the vocal works. On the other hand we are not exposed to much bass rhythms or passages, however, the ideal use of bass tunes rounds out the instrumentation together. Another interesting aspect of IN HEARTS WAKE is that they try to convey a message through their songs, plus most of the songs have both softer and heavier sides that add an extra point to their creativity and songwriting. For instance, “Warcry” is Probably my favourite track on this album, for it has a strong message beneath its lyrical content; and those breakdowns will leave you wanting for more. The rest of the songs dwell on the same energy throughout the setlist, with “Overthrow” and “Now” being the most notable ones. I quite enjoyed this album and will put it on repeat in future. “Ark” is one of those albums where one gets a mixed feeling whether or not the album is creative enough to get much attention, however apart from it being somewhat generic, the album is very appealing and catchy. “Nomad” and “Warcry” will surely be a part of my daily playlist. When it comes to their best release, my opinion does not deviate from their sophomore album, but “Ark” is still a must listen album for all Melodic Metalcore enthusiasts. (*Review by Sooraj Ram ).
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Year: 2015
Label: UNFD
Format: CD, LP
Tracks: 11
Time: 34 min.
Genre: rock
Style: Metalcore
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Year: 2014
Label: UNFD
Format: CD, LP
Tracks: 12
Time: 35 min.
Genre: rock
Style: Metalcore
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Year: 2012
Label: UNFD
Format: CD, LP
Tracks: 12
Time: 34 min.
Genre: rock
Style: Metalcore
In Hearts Wake are an australian metalcore band who hail from the small surfing town of Byron Bay on New South Wale's northern coast. This is indeed the same town that spawned the scene-defining, chart-topping, international juggernaut that is Parkway Drive, and this begs the obvious question: is this band the new Parkway Drive? The subject of this review, their debut LP 'Divination', is an album that defies genre standards and not always in good way. While its definitely a solid, well thought-out and considered release (there are four guest vocalists and they are all placed on tracks as similar to their own band's style as possible. I presume that this was decided after the track's had been written, rather than writing songs with guest vocalists in mind), and the band have so obviously poured their heart and soul into this album (the fact that they made the trek to America to record and oversee the mixing process is clear evidence of this), its most unfortunately nothing really out of the ordinary. There are some interesting features, but for the most part its a bog-standard Australian metalcore release: based on an unusual concept and full of breakdowns and sing-a-longs designed to keep the kids in the pit happy. The Parkway Drive influence is very obvious for all to see, and, in fact, the album's third track even features Winston McCall as a guest vocalist. Ultimately, the only thing that sets this album apart from the hordes is the fascinating lyrical concept and the clean vocal structures. Its just another Aussie metalcore album, undeniably catchy and melodic in places, while retaining brutally heavy and technical aspects in all the right places to maximise their impact in a live performance. You'll love it or hate it and it won't change your mind about the genre at all, but I speak from personal experience that, if nothing else, its mad fun to play through your finest subwoofer while cruising down the highway at 110 km/h. (*Review by Collect The Leaves ).
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"the gateway"Year: 2010
Label: none
Format: CD
Tracks: 8
Time: 25 min.
Genre: rock
Style: Metalcore
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