reviews:
Harvey Danger: Where Have All The Merrymakers Gone?
Hatebreed: Satisfaction is the Death of Desire
(hed)p.e.: (hed)p.e.
Heatmiser: Mic City Sons
Heroic Doses: Heroic Doses
HUM: You'd Prefer an Astronaut
HUM: Downward is Heavenward

Harvey Danger: Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone? A couple years ago, this really good song called "Flagpole Sitta" was on the radio. It was intelligent, wordy, and catchy-as-hell. Anyone saying the phrase "One Hit Wonder" in regards to this band needs to see if their proctologist can find their head, because this album shows an amazing band in their prime, playing songs they love and doing what they want to do. It's rare that a band with as much talent displayed here could actually have commercial success of any sort. All the songs on this album have a hook of some sort, from the fastest ("Carlotta Valdez") to the slowest ("Wrecking Ball"). Sean Nelson has an amazing vocabulary, and use it very well, and can show it off greatly, specifically tracks like "Jack the Lion," "Old Hat," and "Problems and Bigger Ones," as well as having a very fresh and new singing voice. A solid debut from a band that is sure to be going places in the future.

Hatebreed: Satisfaction is the Death of Desire Victory Records has a reputation of putting out purely hardcore bands. Hatebreed, name and all, are the leaders of this new hardcore revolution in music. Songs with the message about how people in general suck is prevelent. They do it so well though. "Empty Promises" and "Burial for the Living" are fast paced onslaughts of rage. A lot of the songs sound the same, but they are very well done. The growling yell of Jamey is fairly new and good, unless you listen to Slayer and shit like that. It's only around 27 minutes long, which kinda pisses me off. If it went longer and had a bit more variety, I'd love it.

Heatmiser: Mic City Sons Straight, simple, and to-the-point music that cuts down to the heart and makes no bones about it. Elliot Smith delivers every line on this album with the utmost sincerity and the best lyrics this side of... well, Elliot Smith. The eleven songs with one bonus track presented here have obviously been painstakingly crafted and worked long and hard on, and it shows in the quality of the music. Layers of acoustic guitars, bass, and drums all thump down on you like the lightest weight in the world, gauging your brain and making you want to listen over and over again. Quite possibly one of the best albums ever made.

(hed)p.e.: (hed)p.e. Now this is rap-metal. No Reveille, no Primer 55, no Papa Roach and no Limp Bizkit! I like those bands (well, one of them), but this is real rap-metal. They call themselves "G-Punk," and that about sums it all up. I love the drumming, it's so funky and does really well to play off the rest of this music. The band infuses vocalist MCUD's real rapping voice with some expert instrumentation. "POS" and "Firstie" kick ass, but "Serpent Boy" is by far the best shit I've heard in the way of rap-metal in a long time. This style of music is often imitated and done pretty badly, but this is a competent, expert work of what all the bands above should strive to be. Some tribal beats, crazy cool guitars, slapped bass, and a real rapper. I suggest getting this for educational purposes, or if you just want to.

Heroic Doses: Heroic Doses Hands down, the most invigorating piece of traditional instrumental rock to come out since 5ive Style's debut album. Although both bands feature guitarist Bill Dolan, this isn't any type of groove rock. This band has a laidback jam type of feel that comes through when you can tell how much fun they had recording it just by listening. The trio, aside from Dolan, includes Ryan Rapsys who is also known as The Lonesome Organist, and bassist Nick Macri who, well... I'm sure he was in some great band. And though these two are good, it is Dolan's guitar which is clearly the focus of the album. Every song has frantic combinations of chords and notes running all over the place, a cover band's worst nightmare in the difficult yet enjoyable licks and riffs which explode from his maple and metal. "Gimme Less Friction" has a bit of a boogie jam, provided by slides and palm-muted solos; "Crystals" is a smart rocker, beating down all instruments and just begging to be cranked; "Blank Ship" cheers and hollers with it's blissful guitars. A thoroughly captivating and enjoyable piece of work that can appeal to nearly anyone, it's nearly assured that the doses you partake in this album may not be heroic, but will definitely be plentiful.

HUM: You'd Prefer an Astronaut Hidden in the tidal wave of guitar noise, underneath the drums and cymbals, between the cryptic lyrics and thumping bass, there actually is a melody. HUM are no rookies with this album, which is their third, and the first to have any level of success. Enter "Stars": This song has the most infectious hook I've heard on radio or seen on MTV in a long, long time. Songs like this by bands like this make me hope for the future of music. And hooks like the one that "Stars" has are all over this album, from the guitar wash of the opener "Little Dipper" to the drum-thumping "Why I Like the Robins" to the most blissful melancholic six minutes of my life "I Hate it Too," there is something to enjoy and something to remember in every song presented on this album. One of the few albums I have where I can say I know every song and can sing you part of it.

HUM: Downward is Heavenward As people around the nation and worldwide keep searching for the elusive "American Radiohead" it's a little obvious to anyone paying attention to the ignored bands of the current day that HUM, if they were active around now, would be the "American Radiohead." Their sound is insanely futuristic, yet easily accesible, with hints of hook-laden melodies laying under the cover of seemingly billions of distorted guitars. Though it may be surprising, this album is still one of the most influential ever written, as hordes of bands try to encapture that distinct HUM sound. The strange thing with HUM is, they're really hard to describe. They're unmistakably rock, but they don't fit into any particular style. The chunky, sludgy, but insanely complicated and beautiful guitar work manages to erect a lush wall of sound, with the rhythm section inside, while occasionly building blocks like keyboards, acoustic, and clean notes letting in the low end. Standing on top are the geekesque but heartfelt lyrics, managing to write love songs about plants and science factories. The band manages to sound fairly heavy, but not overly so. It doesn't seem like anyone in the band is very upset, but rather like they're all a little too content, which is where the big riffs come into play. There is only one real screaming section on the entire record, on the single "Comin' Home," but otherwise the sound is noisy and screechy, but an upbeat air is felt from the whole disc after completion. Hopefully, HUM will manage to spurt out another disc soon. The world needs more bands that can merge elements of everything and take a little risk to create something that is unique and all their own.