Hawthorne Heights - Zero (9)Hawthorne Heights have never had it easy, first off with the tragic death of their singer Casey Calvert and secondly their problems with their record label Victory Records. After releasing two EP’s which showcased their raw punk spirit they are back with a new guitarist in tow.
Zero is apparently a concept album about a dystopian universe and in our view a perfect slice of post hardcore leaning towards the punk pop spectrum. The lyrics are like most other Hawthorne Heights records quite dark but the production is upbeat which stops the album being depressing. From the moment JT Woodruff vocals on "Memories of Misery" kick off the album proper, he is sounding confident and forceful leading each track. JT Woodruff has always had a unique voice in the upper range which he uses to good effect. “Darkside”, “Spark” and “Zero”, all deserve to be singles with their shiny, bright guitar riffs and sing-along choruses.
The real deviations from this formula are "Hollow Hearts Unite" an acoustic guitar led ballad and "Coalition of Alternative Living Method" which is a spoken word interlude.
The album carries its energy throughout ending with two storming tracks "Lost in the Calm" and "Taken By the Dark". The guitarist show amazing skills combining riffing and the odd solo to provide the perfect backdrop to Woodruff’s vocals.
This could be Hawthorne Heights break out record and is enjoyable from start to finish. This band gets better and better with time and is clearly a solid unit.
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