Saturday 28 April 2012

Hardway - Towards The Light


So the review train rolls on. This time I'm focusing on Italian hardcore mob Hardway, and their EP Towards The Light. This has been released by Italian label Strikedown Records, who incidentally, released the Foxxes EP Forget The Rain, that I reviewed a while back. This review also marks the first of three Strikedown releases I'll be bringing you.

Tracklist:-

1. Expect Coming
2. Drift Away
3. Still At Odds
4. Chased By Guilt
5. Where We're Going To

Towards The Light kicks off with Expect Coming, which tears forth with fast, skillful drumming, furious riffs and angry screams. The rhythms used is the song are really creative and the production brings them across really well, as if your watching Hardway live. This is hardcore that takes it's influences from the European iteration of the style, so it's creative and not just played by tough guys!

Drift Away has some cool punk undertones beneath it's furious hardcore edge. There's also a hint of crossover-thrash to Hardway's sound. The solo halfway through Drift Away shows that Hardway have great skill as well as power. Each song is quick and punishing, but crammed with enough originality to help Hardway stand out from the crowd.

Still At Odds is the fastest song on the EP, clocking in at just under two minutes and this surely will insight mass circle pits and headbanging live. Chased By Guilt has a more straight up metal feel to it, but is no less punishing. It's also melodic enough not to get boring. The use of quick fire solos, brief gang shouts and sporadic breakdowns, brings life to the song. The change of pace and guitar work in the middle of Chased By Guilt settles things down briefly, before Hardway finish with a final flurry of raging hardcore, and launch into closing track Where We're Going To.

Hardway close out in style, putting all the energy they have into their performance. The song fades halfway through to reveal cleanly picked guitar that slowly fades to allow you to catch your breath. Towards The Light is a great example of the differing styles of European hardcore. Hardway haven't tried to ape their American cousins and have done it their way. Thoroughly worth repeat listens!

Listen to Towards The Light below:-


Make sure that you grab a copy of the EP if you like what you hear. You can pick it via the Bandcamp page above or via Strikedown Records at http://strikedownrecords.bigcartel.com/products.

Also, Hardway's Facebook page is at http://www.facebook.com/hardwayhardcore.

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