Review Summary: hope means you really want someone to come back
In 2011 Hawthorne Heights decided to start a Trilogy of EP’s – Hate, Hope and Hurt. Now I know what you are thinking, really, Hawthorne Heights, who cares?? Well, I do. As easy as it is to overlook Hawthorne, I think it’s time some people dig a little deeper into what they have been putting together since 2011.
Now I’m not an idiot (very debatable). Hawthorne are not the greatest musicians, JT’s voice isn’t powerful, his lyrics can border on cringe and overall, they don’t hold a candle to a lot of bands within the same ‘genre’ as them. But what they do have that most bands don’t is legitimacy and an honesty that is powerful in the sense that they know who they are, they know what they are and frankly they are going to be that no matter what it is that gets thrown at them.
It may be striking to see a bunch of almost 40-year-old talking to a similarly aged crowd about being emo and what it really means, but ***, THEY actually believe it and stand by it. Say what you will, but to stick to your guns for almost 20 years in a musical environment that changes quicker then I change *** filled nappies on my kids is something special and unique.
The EP kicks off with how all three kick off – ‘There Was A Kid’. If you are familiar with the Trilogy, then it’s nothing special or surprising but it sets the mood for the album and continues the story of the ‘Kid’. ‘New Winter’ is where I start to get excited. We are met with JT sounding decent and Micah’s screams cutting through as well. A nice lead lick continues throughout, and my head is bopping along nicely, and I’m pleasantly surprised with what is to come. There is some nice riff work throughout, I’ve always appreciated Micah’s lead parts and this EP is no different, ‘Chemicals’ having some nice riffing throughout.
‘Stranded’ has some of JT’s best vocal work, his putting some power behind his voice in the choruses and he sounds good. Micah adds screams throughout most tracks, aren’t as prominent as on HATE but he still sounds great, his still my favorite ‘unclean’ vocalist they have had. The title track ‘Hope’ comes straight from the early 2000’s Pop Punk scene and is catchy as hell.
Overall, I like the HATE ep more than this, it was just more aggressive and less poppy then HOPE but in saying that HOPE does the poppy stuff a lot better than 90% of the thousands of other bands who have tried it, so there’s something to be said about that.
Standout Tracks:
Hope
Vandemonium
New Winter
Chemicals
