Hawk Eyes - Ideas (2012)

Genre - Post-Hardcore / Alternative Rock
Label - Fierce Panda

Track listing:
01 - Witch Hunt
02 - Skyspinners
03 - Yes, Have Some
04 - Headstrung
05 - You Deserve A Medal
06 - Hollywood Sweatshop
07 - The Meeting
08 - Milk Hog
09 - Kiss This
10 - Bears By The Head
11 - Bees

"HAWK EYES are from Leeds. They consist of Paul Astick (vocals / guitar), Rob Stephens (guitar), Ryan Clark (bass) and Matt Reid (drums), and have done so in some form or another since 2005. Well, since drummer Matt joined from Whores Whores Whores anyway. One of those previous so-called forms was Chickenhawk, whose gruesomely complex Modern Bodies album of 2010 cheerily brutalised a not-so-innocent generation of grumpy grunged-up kids as they toured the known universe with Alexisonfire, We Are The Ocean and The Computers. The end of 2011 saw the renamed and reconstructed HAWK EYES foursome setting out their stall for future ever-so-slightly-mellower chaos with a nomination for Best Hard Rock Act at the Artrocker awards, touring fun with Turbowolf, The James Cleaver Quartet and Ginger Wildheart (though not all at the same time, you understand) and the release of the five-track Mindhammers EP on Brew Records, a manically precise fusion of ferocious melodies and vivacious riffs which spewed forth comparisons with Foo Fighters, QOTSA, Alice In Chains and the epically heavy monstersound of Faith No More. All extremely true, and all very indicative of a band growing up and rolling with the melodic punches. And the Mindhammers template is refined and rewired on Ideas , HAWK EYES debut album which is sleek and modern and hardcore and suitably post-post-everything, but also cosmic and mischievous and never averse to (ab)using a classic riff here or there."

This album is stunning, and you can instantly hear why so many people are raving about Hawk Eyes.
There are just so many interesting ideas on display here, from the bone crunching riffs and noise, to the subtle melodies tempo changes and experimantation.

Stand out tracks for me include Witch Hunt, Skyspinners, You deserve A Medal, Headstrung, Kiss This and Bees.

A great album by a very promising band, the future of British rock music looks good!

Rating - 9/10

Pulled Apart By Horses - Tough Love (2012)

Genre - Post Hardcore / Hard Rock / Alt-Rock

Track listing -

01 – V.E.N.O.M.
02 – Wolf Hand
03 – Shake Off the Curse
04 – Epic Myth
05 – Some Mothers
06 – Night of the Living (I’m Scared of People)
07 – Wildfire, Smoke & Doom
08 – Bromance Ain’t Dead
09 – Give Me a Reason
10 – Degeneration Game
11 – Everything Dipped In Gold

Leeds based rockers, Pulled Apart By Horses unleash their second album upon the world, and boy its a great album!
Filld with high energy raw power, the songs have a very punk edge to them, but there is more to them than that, you can hear the Black Sabbath, Led Zepplin and Motorhead influences working along side this punk rawness, and unlike the bulk of the other "post hardcore" bands that Ive come across, these guys really do know how to write a bloody good song! Just check out Wolf Hand, Epic Myth or even the stunning opener VENOM! This is what I think sets Pulled Apart By Horses aside from many of the peers, yes there is plenty of angst and agression in their sound, but its tempered with the perfect ballance of melody and even dare I say thoughtful lyrics!
Night Of The Living almost has a proggy New Wave feel to it, its a great song, and just one of the many.
When you first hear the album it kind of bowls you over, its sheer power and attitude, but give it another listen or two and the songs start to relveal themselves to you all the more.
Tough Love is the perfect follow up to the bands 2010 debut, heavy and uncompromising, yet filled with well crafted songs, in fact a great second album!


Rating 9/10

We'll All Be Heroes - Everything Must Go EP.

We'll All Be Heroes are a four piece band hailing from Northeast England, bring us their very own blend of Post Hardcore Alternative rock. Everything Must Go is a 4 track Ep, with well, four very strong songs .


The songs are heavy, but they've got hooks that Ginger Wildheart would be proud of, and the music, whilst being heavy is still radio friendly, but not in cheesy overly commercial.

The stand out tracks for me are definitely the opening combination of title track,'Everything Must Go' and 'Burn Your Bridges'.

This a very strong release from a young band that are showing a lot of potential, keep an eye on these guys (and gal!) because I think they could be big!

website - http://www.myspace.com/allbeheroes



Rating 9/10