Heartsounds

Heartsounds: Until We SurrenderUntil We Surrender (2009)
Creator Destructor

Reviewer Rating: 3.5

User Rating:

Contributed by: InaGreendaseBrian
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Published on September 18th 2009Heartsounds' lineup is essentially two ex-members of metalcore act Light This City, but the only remaining trace of that band's days in here is the slight technicality employed on this debut full-length. Otherwise, Until We Surrender is somewhat slick, fast-paced melodic skatepunk both EpiFat halyco.

Heartsounds' lineup is essentially two ex-members of metalcore act Light This City, but the only remaining trace of that band's days in here is the slight technicality employed on this debut full-length. Otherwise, Until We Surrender is somewhat slick, fast-paced melodic skatepunk both EpiFat halycon-day worshipers and newer-school fans can cling to easy.

Until We Surrender shows a bustling sense of urgency and a knack for keen melody. Guitarist/bassist/drummer Ben Murray does a majority of the vocals, but guitarist Laura Nichol contributes a fair amount too (a handful of verses and a lot of the choruses), so you get a good mix of male and female vocals that keep the album pretty consistent and refreshing. In fact, this album sounds quite a bit like the Swellers, as does Murray like Sweller Nick Diener; Diener actually guests himself on "I Climbed for Miles."

The more catchy, sing-along-able numbers are spread across the album pretty well -- "The Song Inside Me," "Until We Surrender" and "No Way Out" among them. But there's also the more faster ones, like "Walking Dead," "No Way Out" and "Our Last Hope." Either way, the band is pretty adept at both methods and mesh their tactics together well.

Definitely a pleasant surprise and very solid debut.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

exitenglish1208 (April 30, 2011)

damn this is really good. just checking them out now for the first time after going through the epitaph wiki. side note it's funny to read present and past acts on that label.

moistphily (March 30, 2011)

love this album. something quite unique about this band.

MN_DrNIck (July 13, 2010)

Pretty damn good. Made me think of the Swellers meets Tsunami Bomb.

hayman (June 16, 2010)

Great album.

lilxurk (May 26, 2010)

by far one of my favorite bands, i can listen to this cd over and over and over and ben and company are AWESOME :]

RedElephant (January 30, 2010)

really good album in the whole 90's style of fast-paced pop punk.

skeetopunk01 (January 10, 2010)

These guys are awesome. I wrote them off as some pop-punk band but I was wrong. They're very good and this album is highly addictive. The guitar riffs are catchy as hell!

SurfingTurf (January 2, 2010)

that chick is hot and i wish she'd help me relieve this boner

Alien (October 21, 2009)

The more I listen to this, I just can't get enough.
very good stuff.

thatsyouth (September 24, 2009)

Good point. But I said it in the skate punk feel of it all. Wilhelm doesn't really sound like epifat skate punk.

givemeamuseumandillfillit (September 23, 2009)

thatsyouth -

They sound "nothing like a wilhelm scream" but they sound like Strung Out?

Das Not Compute.

Slacker (September 23, 2009)

The thing I miss on this album is guitar solos

thatsyouth (September 21, 2009)

What? This sounds pretty much nothing like Wilhelm. It's like what people have said already. It's like NUFAN mixed with Strung Out with a guy that sounds exactly like Nick from The Swellers. I think the Swellers could have potentially released an album just like this about 4 or 5 years ago.

Score is for A Wilhelm Scream, NUFAN, and The Swellers.

taargus (September 21, 2009)

I've listened to this album twice and all the songs sound the same except one that has a little slower tempo. yeah, they sound like AWS but are way less good. no, i don't need to get my ears fixed.

xshoutoutx (September 21, 2009)

I really dug this when I listened to the stream... thinking about getting it. That metalcore band they were in is HORRIBLE! I decided to check out their myspace just for shits... and that's exactly what I got. But hey, at least they are moving out of that phase and into something MUCH MUCH more awesome!!!!

...and also, there is definitely hints of AWS circa Mute Print on there!

KevinH (September 20, 2009)

I'm in love with this record right now. Reminds me of a great combination of Strung Out and Making Friends-era No Use For a Name.

cherrycolarain (September 20, 2009)

I really like this. It's sweet, yet packs a punch. Awesome stuff.

friokir (September 20, 2009)

a record of the year contender for me. and whoever said it sounds like AWS - wtf? get your ears fixed.

Slacker (September 20, 2009)

It doesn't sound like AWS, more like older Strung Out

oldpunkerforever (September 20, 2009)

brilliant work and quite a nice suprise I might add-oldpunker-

RedElephant (September 20, 2009)

i like it.

onegirlarmy (September 20, 2009)

I *do* love me some skatepunk but I don't think this is all that great.

Good, but not great.

Alien (September 20, 2009)

It is good. very good. some songs don't stick out very much, but worth listening to for sure

LeightonESmith (September 20, 2009)

I don't know how you managed to review this without saying A Wilhelm Scream at least once.

Blackjaw_ (September 20, 2009)

I can understand and appreciate that they'd be a perfect band for someone who loves this music, but I can't get TOO into them myself. Score is for my subjective opinion on them, not objectively for their (sub)genre.

thatsyouth (September 19, 2009)

Fucking LOVE this album. I can't stop listening to it. I was actually just telling my friend the other day how much the singer sounds like Nick. This is fantastic. I get to see them with A Wilhelm Scream on October 13th. So stoked.

Ugay (September 19, 2009)

Love this fucking record. Great vocals and guitars

mikexdude (September 19, 2009)

These songs sound more the same than those Banner Pilots song. Never liked skate punk and this is a good reminder why.

Boring. Overdone.

T-Rock (September 19, 2009)

In my opinion, 3.5 stars is too low. This is album of the year quality, at least for punk fans. Very heartfelt, very well-written, and great musicianship on top of it all.

thus_spoke_sean (September 19, 2009)

LOVE this record.

deadxlast (September 19, 2009)

Totally bitchin' record. Skate punk gives me an iron stiffy.

velvetbrass (September 19, 2009)

Love that cover art.

Bryne (September 19, 2009)

Also nailed it on the Swellers vocal comparison.

Bryne (September 19, 2009)

So catchy.