This is Hell “Black Mass” Review
This is Hell
Pieter van den Berg – bass
Rick Jimenez – guitar & vocals
Travis Reilly – vocals
Mike Sciulara – drums
review by Denise Borders
@punkworldviews
You know how there are those bands that suck and then there are a few that don’t? Well, hold onto your buttholes because This is Hell is one of the latter! You’re like “What? Who? Aren’t they the opener?” Well YES kids, they have opened up for bungholes like Bring my the Horizon and crap, when in reality they’ve been playing this whole music game much longer and BETTER than most headliners. That fact aside, they are dropping a new album on Rise Records called Black Mass and it’s about goddamn time you bought something besides a pot brownie.
10.11.11
Track List:
Acid Rain
Black History
Salt The Earth
Black Mass
The Wars: Part I
Mi Nombre
The Last Outlaw
Demons
The Reckoning
The Wars: Part II
Let’s start from the beginning, because I know most of you are almost retarded. Acid Rain rolls out the hardcore guitar intro… you’re like okay, I’m into it. But then Travis’s angelic vocals stroll in and you’re like whoa, where’d my pants go?! WHO FUCKING CARES IT’S A PARTY. Just let it happen. You have some 80’s metal-esque guitar solos that are a nice break from the typical style of music you’re probably used to consuming. And I mean that in the most non-dissing hardcore way as possible because trust me, I’m into it.
Black History. Now that’s a title I can relate to because I went to school once and had to learn about Black History Month! You’re all like “WTF MANG?” But me? I’m like, yeah I like that song by that one band that I saw open up for those skinny dudes with tattooed necks. Well, this track sort of sounds like the previous one, only because Travis has consistent vocals and the band is consisitently good. Only this second track brings us this new side of their 80’s hair metal randomness. Tell me at 1:08 into the song you’re not like “FUCK YEAH” when the vocals drop and you can picture Rick doing a sweet hurkey in the air. You know what I’m talking about.
Third track’s a charm for the hardcore snobs that needs your standard hardcore tune jamming through the speakers. This is actually one of the first songs that stood out, because at this point I was like, “Alright, I’m going to like this entire fucking album and this CD makes me wanna party all stupid-like.” Salt the Earth has all you’d want in a tune, from the upbeat parts to jam to, all the way to the slow breakdowns… but still a beat you can shove people to.
Let’s skip a few forward to Mi Nombre because this song is super awesome. Mike really makes love to us on drums on this track. Plus the vocals are brutal and it never slows down too much. It’s good for working out, which everyone should do because let’s face it, people that work out can hold up better in the sack and then we all win.
The Last Outlaw is a bit slower if you’re into that. It kind of breaks the album up a bit and it’s not as monotonous as many hardcore records can be. NOPE, NOT THESE DUDES. All in all, this album will teach you that New York makes more than just pizza and sammiches. Quit giving the Yankees so much attention and go watch This is Hell play a show and buy a freakin shirt or something. If you’re a guy, you should buy a shirt and learn to cut it into a slutty tank top for your girlfriend. No girlfriend? Well maybe you’d have one if you were into this band because they’re buffness will make you wanna hit the gym more which will make you better in the sack which will lead to more chicks being into you which means your life will be better and BAM. You’re welcome.
Even if you’re not typically into hardcore, you shouldn’t brush this album to the side. It’s definitely a hardcore album, but they bring this old-school sound that makes them unique and ferrr sherr separates them from your run of the mill hardcore band. You hear lyrics like, “This is life. This is what we chose,” and your brain’s all “Yeah… man, I feel that same way! I chose this tattoo on my forehead and I’m okay with it!” This album never lulls or wanes. It keeps going until the last chord and you won’t be bummed if it’s stuck on repeat for a while. It drops tomorrow on Rise Records, so get on this shit.
www.facebook.com/thisishellny
www.myspace.com/thisishell
www.riserecords.com
www.twitter.com/THISISHELL
About the Author
Denise Borders 39, Los Angeles. Denise founded PWV in 2008 and remains the primary manager and photographer/videographer. She is not secretly obsessed with Joey Cape.
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