Dear Heartsounds,
My name is Bobby but my Ripple Effect readers call me "Cicatriz". I am writing this letter to let you know how super fucking stoked I am on your new album Drifter. It is an amazing sophomore album. Who new that members of my former favorite melodic death-metallers Light This City could pull off pop punk so well. I remember those days of seeing Laura Nihol just straight ripping it up on stage as one of the best female singers in the metal scene. Normally this is where I would express how much I love Laura and would tell her I want to have her babies but I'm not gonna do that....oh wait, fuck I just did. Oh, well....love you Laura, if you ever want nicely tanned children let me know. Haha, I kid I kid...well maybe. Anywho! Light This City was always my favorite bands to see live, I never missed a show. It was always a good time seeing you live and fun hanging out after the shows. Heartsounds is definitely a fun band and I am glad you are playing something you love. I would also like to mention how awesome it is to see the almost seamless transition of Ben Murray, moving from fast as fuck drums in Light This City to being a just as awesome singer/guitar player. Trully Ben, you are probably one of the best punk singers I have heard in a while. Keep it up! I also just want to say "thank you". Thank you for making punk rock fun again. I can't wait to see you live and sing along with all the catchy tunes.
With Love,
Bobby "Cicatriz" Gomez
So Waiveriders, in case you couldn't tell; I fucking adore Heartsounds. When I first heard of the demise of Light This City my heart broke. Not from just the thought of never seeing the extremely beautiful Laura Nichol agian but from never seeing these awesome musicians play again. Hands down Heartsounds are my favorite pop punk band. They remind me of throw back to those great 90's punk bands. Heartsounds is pure gold. Well enough with the Heartsounds worship, let's get down to some of the music.
Drifter begins with the track, "Every Second Counts". Man the lyrics are just straight catchy. Easily this is one of my favorites. It's got an extremely catchy beat and like I said before the lyrics are really catchy and just make you want to sing along. Like all Heartsounds songs both Laura and Ben sing. Their voice work great together.
"Do you know what it's like to die?
Well I know what it's like
To be chewed up and spit out of this
Pathetic cycle of life in tow records' time.
So watch me get back up
And brush off the decay, the dirt and dust
Only to fall back through
Straight to hell I swore I'd never return to."
"I Have Nobody To Betray" is another one of my faves. This song begins with and almost metal like riff that is played throughout the entire song. It really shows off Laura's vocal ability as it is mostly just her singing on the track. As expected, catchy lyrics and a nice upbeat mid tempo breakdown makes this a winner.
"You are dead to me and I don't wanna wait
For your ghost to be resurrected.
I never have and I never will believe.
Faith and miracles became invisible and I'm done waiting."
The last track I want to touch on is, "Elements". This one features mostly just Ben on vocals. If you want to hear what a good pop punk song is, check this one out.
"I'll keep sending messages into the abyss.
Hoping for some kind of response but nothing will come of it.
How does one feel a seam of hope when the storm is yet to come,
Or believe the earth will bring them life when they're always losing someone."
Whether you like pop punk or not, most people are going to find something about Heartsounds that they like. For all you metallers who loved Light This City but think you'll dislke Heartsounds because they are a pop punk band, give them a chance. "Variety is the spice of life.", keep your ears open to new stuff, you never know what you might like. Oh, and if you get a chance to see them live, do it! You will not be disappointed.
Heartsounds goes good with: Light This City, Bad Religion, Alkaline Trio, Bayside, Set Your Goals, A Day To Remember, Chixdiggit, Madcap, MXPX, Weezer, Sparta
Buy this album and all your other Heartsounds merch here: http://www.kingsroadmerch.com/epitaph-records/artist/?id=190
-Cicatriz