Being somewhat of a newcomer to hardcore and punk, having spent the majority of my life in a heavy-metal insulated bubble, I have a tendency to embrace clichéd hardcore idiosyncrasies with naïve enthusiasm. Yet even to me Lyon, France’s HEROES UNTIL TOMORROW’s new album ‘Not Here to Save The World’ sounds far too similar to so many other melodic metal-core bands.
Though the production of the EP is suitably crushing, the arrangement and melodies of the songs cling desperately to the screamy verse / singy chorus formula (followed, of course by the obligatory one note breakdown). The tracks, all sitting near or over the five minute mark, therefore feel overwrought, as HUT’s musical ambitions are not developed enough to fill the too-long songs with enough material to warrant their length.
Each song, from opener ‘Turn the Lights Off’ to final song ‘Until the End’, all cling to the exhausted formula previously mentioned, and with no change of pace or sound the album quickly becomes tiresome.
In some ways this album feels like playing a “Where’s Wally” game of metal-core clichés, except in this metaphor every character on the page is Wally.
That said, although the album offers nothing new, it does recycle these musical memes very well. The songs are pulled off well, with a rock solid rhythm section and some interesting guitar histrionics thrown in to change things up a bit. The two vocalists compliment each other well and their vocal lines weave in and out of each other with finesse and class. HUT obviously enjoy doing what they do, and seem quite happy to stay within the confines of the genre.
In summary, the album is very much melodic metal-core painted by numbers, but painted unashamedly well.
SCOTT MASSON