Heads Held High grew out of the local punk and hardcore scenes of the greater Cleveland area and have adopted their sound from old hardcore acts like Black Flag and Dag Nasty. However, it’s plain to see that their music also goes on to include more modern influences and this is a key element when defining the band’s playing style.

On So Say We All, the band takes on an energetic hardcore tone and combines it with rich melody to create something distinct and memorable. The hooks can be found in all the right places and tracks like “John Galt Can Bite Me” and “Samson Gets a Haircut” seem to spell out that sentiment fairly well.

The lyrics are quite good on the record and seem to take a dive into social awareness every now and again. The reckless guitar playing and booming bass lines complement the release well and when combined with frontman Elliott’s aggressive vocals, the album positively kills.

With few releases under their belts, Heads Held High seem to have come into their own quicker than those up-and-comers who are still trying to get a handle on their own music. The band has a sound that’s far more mature and stylistically evolved. I wasn’t expecting to see that with So Say We All before hearing it, but afterwards it becomes something of a striking reality.

The bottom line is that this release is a pretty solid effort. The band’s playing is tight and if you’re into the newer hardcore scene, as it exists from coast-to-coast, then I’m sure you’ll dig the record, too.

I for one am eager to see where the band goes from here.