2012
is very much the year of British hardcore, and of many of the biggest names
that are currently rising to the top, Heights are certainly leading the pack.
The Hertfordshire five-piece have recently dropped two new singles from their
upcoming album (both of which were played on Daniel P Carter’s Radio 1 Rock
Show in the last few weeks) to give fans a flavour of what to expect from the
follow-up to from last years fantastic debut album, ‘Dead Ends’ (which was
coincidentally one of my favourite albums of last year and is still constantly
played in my household).
Heights
aren’t your standard hardcore band. First of all, they are quintessentially
British, and that can be heard in everything from the aggressive and powerful
vocal style to the raw guitars. Secondly, they have a slow groove to them that
no other hardcore band on the UK scene has, and that’s a real testament to
them. To play at a slower speed and still maintain the pure energy they have is
a talent in itself, and to deliver such heartfelt and uplifting tracks the way
they do, which are packed in a tight box of brutality, has to get the world
standing up to pay attention.
Both
of these singles new singles, ‘These Streets’ and ‘Gold Coast’, display the
best of Heights from both ends of their spectrum, which happen to be that of
attack and melody. Combining both of these seamlessly makes for a couple of
wonderful tracks that really stick with you after several listens and wet the
appetite for a full-length release as soon as possible.
‘These
Streets’ starts with a distorted bass line that chugs away before hardcore
guitars and harsh scream take over, full of distinct Heights passion and venom.
A chorus quickly follows, soaring with octave chords and continued intensity,
proving that simple riffs can be executed with a unique swing that gives heavy
music a definite turbulence. The bass line continues are the song reaches the
end, bringing in a huge breakdown finish as vocals tear through before a final
chord rings out.
The
music video for this track was filmed around the Welwyn Garden area of
Hertfordshire, close to the houses of the band. That’s why the band are so
accessible, they are very grounded with their style and the music is (and
always has been) centre stage for the lads.
‘Gold
Coast’ switches things on their head, getting going with an understated picked
melodic riff before the verse kicks in, but not yet at full force, remaining in
a low gear but keeping the primitive and scowling screams. The track has a
captivating sound, which doesn’t remove from the grand scale of the Heights
brutality. An anthemic chorus soon hits, which is loud and moving, slipping in
between the other parts of the song effortlessly. The end of the song comes
with an instrumental section that splits the bulk of the track, revisiting the
quiet notes from the beginning before drums build into an aggressive finale
which is followed by a quick fade out that certainly leaves you itching for
more.
Heights
are proving that they are a force to be reckoned with, their recognisable
hardcore setting the band apart from anybody on the scene right now. These new
songs promise a lot for the album release later this year, which is sure to
explode once it drops. Heights are the future, everything else is the past.
The band
play ‘Hit the Deck’ Festival on the 22nd of April as well as
Ghostfest at the end of June (details below).
No comments:
Post a Comment