MaryNikkel_NRT (153)

These Hearts is a hardcore act in the same vein as mainstream icons Sleeping With Sirens, A Day to Remember, and Of Mice And Men. The Victory Records signees have honed their musical chops through EPs and their debut release and, more importantly, endless hours out on the road. Their hard work is evident throughout their summer 2013 release Yours to Take. 

 

This effort shows a remarkable maturing of their hardcore and pop fusion, a duality particularly evident on tracks "Miserable" and remake "The Inconvenience" (previously heard on The Elephant in the Room EP). Another strong point for this release is the intense honesty about what life can be like as a new act taking to the road and fighting through the years of long drives in old vans thousands of miles from loved ones.

Though the rougher moments of this lifestyle are chronicled on "Been Through Hell" and the wistful album closer "Never Mind Me," the band also clearly admits in album opener "This is Love" that this is a challenge they take on gladly in order to bring hope to their fans.

 

Although a few of the songs stray far into melodic pop waters (such as the bitter indictment "Psycho"), there is enough heavy fare to satisfy the hardcore crowd as well, notably with the inclusion of For Today's Mattie Montgomery on "War."

 

With clean production, solid musical arranging, and strikingly mature vocals, this album is the strongest we have heard from These Hearts. They have grown into much of the potential of previous release Forever Ended Yesterday. This is a band that can easily hold their own with the post-hardcore heavyweights, touting messages that sail much of the same waters (troubled and manipulative relationships, loneliness, and grief) while choosing to offer hope and calls to action. If you like the grit of some deep growls and low-tuned guitars smoothed over by slick pop melodies, this is a must-have. 

 

"Miserable" (Get it on iTunes here.)

NRTeam Review RSS Feed

Showing reviews 1 through 10 of 1: