Review Summary: Sort of a big deal.
Emotion is a very important thing in music. Some would even say that emotion makes music what it is. Whether we're talking about acoustic, folk, indie, metal, or in this case, hardcore, it's the raw emotion of the music that can really grip the listener and send that fabled moment of musical ecstasy running down through your body. With Honor make no mistake with their debut EP, releasing 5 complex, gripping, memorable, and emotionally compelling songs in which flaws are as abundant as sex in a monastery.
The vocals, whether sung, shouted, or screamed, are as earnest as raw rage gets, perfectly exemplified when the shouting of 'Will you be washed away / I will not be washed away' kicks in over the the fusion of cymbal crashing and a heavy riff in 'Bridges and Gaps'. The songs all uphold a frenzied pace, flowing into one another with little break for the listener, and it works to perfect effect. When you aren't shouting 'To move on!' along with the band in 'With The Wind' as a menacing riff plays, you're probably singing along to the melodic and relentless 'The Mirror', or admiring the absolutely crazy drumming of 'To Believe'.
Musically, the band performs just as masterfully as the vocalist, who uses his sing/shout/scream arsenal to full effect. Keeping a punk-ish melodicism to the chaotic feel of the hardcore adds a catchy element to the songs that make them memorable. The erratic pace of the songs make for unpredictability, often slowing down for melodic gang shouts or screams, before speeding up to regain the blistering pace of the music. Did I mention the drumming is absolutely ridiculous? In a way, the music demands your undivided attention, as you could miss some of the best parts in just a few seconds of lightning quick drum rolls or guitar interplay.
With Honor craft a hardcore album that paved the way for their next release, Heart Means Everything, and an EP that is nothing short of necessary for hardcore fans. The songs are memorable, the music is fast and raw, the vocals are honest and versatile, and as a whole, the album has a flow that's unrivalled. Your musical library isn't complete without this.
