Lovehatehero

White Lies

Written by: TL on 19/03/2007 01:00:06

My memories of LoveHateHero from the time of their debut "Just Breathe" back in 2005, tell of a band that had a cool (emo) name but didn't succeed in making a standout impression amongst the Funerals For Friends, Taking Back Sundays and Senses Failed except on a few songs. It wasn't that they were a bad band, they just simply weren't as good or original as the other acts that blew up at that time. With this impression in mind anyone would be as shocked as I was by listening to the bands sophomore effort "White Lies".

From the opening Fall Of Troy-ish guitars of "Goodbye My Love" you sense that something has changed radically with the band, and much for the better. Where earlier the guys seemed like an act whose compositions were a tad simple, now they assault the listener head on with meaty guitarhooks, melodic powerchords and frenzied drumming while frontman Pierrick Berube show us that you can actually sing in a pitch so high it reminds you of nails on a blackboard while still sounding good (Cove Reber watch out!). If this didn't sound good to you, how about the fact, that included in this killing opener is a guitarsolo that's just good in all the right rock'n roll ways? Making an opener that effectively blows the listener away and raises their expectations and interest in the rest of the album; CHECK!

No time to breathe people, "I'll Make It To Brigades" is upon us, heavier and nastier and introducing huge breakdowns and some grade A screamo. Got the overall picture just yet? No? Well then listen to "You Got Served" and rejoice at the fact that the awesome solo in the opener wasn't a stray beam of starlight, as the one present here leaves nothing to be desired compared to its predecessor. "Amity" is anthemic as few, leading your thoughts towards the best Story Of The Year songs, but it's still nothing compared to the onslaught of the aptly titled "Of Sound And Fury", a hellraising firestarting beast of a song, which opens with kickass metallic riffage only to jump into a pop-punk-ish melodic verse leading into a breakdown, climaxing in an anthemic chorus and then suddenly having its pace doubled, before becoming bouncy and danceable enough to fit Lostprophets, all while the lyrics lash out at modern music industry.

What I'm trying to tell you is that this is the album most emo fans have been waiting for over a year now. "White Lies" blends elements from hardcore, pop-punk and metal perfectly into a distinctly emo style and succesfully delivers song upon song that keeps you feeling like jumping up and down screaming and brandishing your imaginary guitar, regardless if your usual taste is the most bitter of emo, the most happy of punk or the most bombastic of metal. This albums is as accessible as Lostprophets, as emo as Saosin and as blazingly metal as fx. Still Remains, and it's the first album I've even considered comparing to my personal Gods of music in said Saosin. If you've lost track in this review, then let me sum up what elements I've hyped so far; Great solos! Great breakdowns! Great screaming! Great songwriting! Add to this pile that the closest thing you come to a ballad on this record are three slower paced anthems still complete with breakdowns by the shitload and on top of that, add how the closing "She Puts The Ho In Homewrecker" contains periods so heavy they take the rest of the album and wipe ass with it (oh and guess what, it has a gut wrenching solo as well.. But you figured that out already didn't you?)

Ladies and gentlemen, this might just be the emo record of the year, and even if you hate emo, you'll probably like it anyway. Get it and get it before your friends do.

9

Download: I'll Make It To Brigades, Of Sound And Fury, She Puts The Ho In Homewrecker
For the fans of: Funeral For A Friend, Saosin, Escape The Fate
Listen: MySpace

Release Date 20.02.2006
Ferret

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