Review Summary: "Feel, damn you, feel."
Masterpieces are not spoon-fed to a music-lover, but rather are digested by those wanting more from their music than the masses. Subtle nuances, heart-wrenching undertones, and symbolic lyrics are weaved together in order to make a greater whole. This is where music comes alive.
This is "Volume II".
Hurt formed in 2000 in the state of Virginia. They have since relocated to Los Angeles, and have fallen upon hard times as of recently in terms of static membership. The musicians within the band at the time of this release consist of main mastermind and vocal boomer, J. Loren Wince; Lead guitar and piano, Paul Spatola; Bass, Josh Ansley; and behind the kit we have Evan Johns. "Volume II", as one may surmise from the title, is the second full length release this band has to offer. "Volume I" acted as a preview of a certain special something that this band had to offer the world. With roots in hard-rock, metal, country, classical, and blues; this band paints the portrait of maturity that most bands could only hope to attain after years and years of touring and hardships.
As the name may suggest, Hurt pulls on the heartstrings of the lost, the broken, and the hopeful. Their unique brand of music beckons the listener to tap deep into their past experiences, and acts as a bridge between their emotions, and your own. The albums haunting opener, "Summer's Lost" seals the fate of the previous record through the use of a subtle rainstorm backdrop (surprisingly not cliche in this instance). Through the remaining six and a half minutes the song features twists and turns that will have an unexpected listener smiling in disbelief at its daunting structure. "Ten Ton Brick" falls upon a pulsing riff complete with a stunning vocal performance by J. Loren, who at his best seems to bellow notes from his gullet with a ferocity that is unrivaled in today's musical offerings. "Aftermath" offers a more vulnerable position to the listener, and tells the tale of lost love and bleak surroundings. With all the good things that could be mentioned upon saying this songs name, it's rivaled, and bested, by the stunning anchor of "Alone With The Sea". All the emotional aspects of the album culminate in this five minute offering of tender release and dismal depression. The last minute of this particular track is truly something to behold, and leaves the listener breathless several times over, especially after repeated listens. The rest of the album contains an emotional brushstroke to cater to every end of the spectrum of feelings. The band does a successful job in all things regarding instrumental capability, song-craft, and composition. Ending the album on a high note, the final minutes of "Thank You For Listening" display some of the best guitar work in recent memory, all while maintaining structure and balance with the rest of the songs offered before it on the disk.
To put it bluntly, Hurt have achieved greatness with this particular record. It is the flower which bloomed from the stem of "Volume I", and is an offering that once fully understood, will remain a timeless classic amongst the ranks of modern masterpieces.
