This Is Hell – Weight of the World
Release Date: June 8, 2010
Record Label: Rise
Hardcore is a genre that can be very stagnant at times, so it’s tough to become relevant. One way to keep your band in constant rotation is to bring something new while refining your sound, and that’s exactly what This Is Hell accomplishes on their third album (and Rise debut), Weight of the World.
In fact, the body count has never been higher as This Is Hell absolutely destroys it. The band wages war early with opening track, “No One Leaves Unscathed.” Blistering guitar riffs from Rick Jimenez set the tone for Travis Reilly’s vicious barking. Just like the previous two albums, Reilly is still an absolute beast on the mic. His intensity never falters during the sinister “The Night The Line Was Crossed,” which features a killer breakdown (it could make spin-kicking cool again).
Littered throughout the album are scorching tracks that each fall under two minutes long. Songs like “Out Come The Bastards” and “The Destroyer” are heavy and quick to the punch. Jimenez’s guitar chords crunch along with Ben Mead’s steady drum work on “Bloodlines,” while This Is Hell bust out some thrash on “Worship Syndrome.” Throughout Weight of the World, This Is Hell try to keep things from getting stale by switching up different paces and putting in new elements. They incorporate some thrash (“Worship Syndrome”) while also introducing some somber tones, as heard in the instrumental “Eagle of Justice” (which leads into the frantic “Death of World Class”).
But the Long Island quartet is at their best when they are throwing out catchy riffs, clean breakdowns, and infectious shout-along vocals. “Shadows” is guilty of this, as the closing sing-shout breakdown will be a fan favorite similar to 2005’s “Permanence.” However, the knockout punch of the album is delivered from closing track, “Snake Eyes,” which may be the best song in TIH’s discography. The nearly five minute track is a blast of aggression as Reilly and Zach Jordan (Bane and Silent Drive fame) trade vocal barbs back and forth, while musically the band has never played better.
While Weight of the World features of lot of the tired and true elements of hardcore, they keep listeners from being bored by adding in some thrash (think American Nightmare meets Anthrax). Not only is This Is Hell stuck with the weight of the world on their shoulders, they now have to deal with the weight that comes along with being one of the best hardcore acts today.
Will do, man. It's just that, for me, 'hardcore' is a word that literally means nothing to me anymore (as in, I don't think of any certain bands when I hear it). It's the same with 'emo.' They've both been so diluted and sub-divided that when I hear either, I don't know what to think.
Will do, man. It's just that, for me, 'hardcore' is a word that literally means nothing to me anymore (as in, I don't think of any certain bands when I hear it). It's the same with 'emo.' They've both been so diluted and sub-divided that when I hear either, I don't know what to think.
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