Album Review
Heart of a Coward - Hope & HindranceHeart of a Coward – Hope & Hindrance

Milton Keynes based 5 piece Heart of a Coward have at long last dropped their debut full length studio album “Hope & Hindrance”. Things could not have worked out better for these lads because when their old vocalist up and took off leaving them in perhaps troubled times, they managed to land in my opinion the finest British metal singer on the scene today, Jamie Graham. Most famous for being the ex front man of Reading thrashers Sylosis up to their “Conclusion of an Age” album; he had already asserted himself as a confident front man and more than adequate vocalist, to land him has boosted the bands press and fan interest by leaps and bound bringing them to the point they’re at today.

Having seen the band perform before I already knew the music was heavy on the bass and full of breakdowns, I do not class this material as “hardcore” music though because even though a fair few of the characteristics are present they take it, whack some metalcore influences alongside some melodic vocals and harmonious musical sections they pull themselves away from the classification or labelling if you will. Perfect example being one of the song’s they’ve had on their facebook page for a long time “Around a Girl (In 80 Days)” which kicks in with heavy bass and a quick riff but as soon as Graham’s vocals kick in and the groove the band exudes in the way the bass and beat combine would soon have anyone whipping their heads around.

Album opener “Motion” starts us off with exactly the same style yet with an eerie guitar tone backing the whole song, less aggressive and more bouncy in this case as the tempo is nowhere near as high octane as “Shade” which is quick, thick and heavy, which is where the “Suffer… Bitch” t-shirts the band sell comes from. Alongside all this though you’ve got songs like “All Eyes to The Sky” that are for the most part quite light with the vocals, the musical backing is still heavy but contradicted at the same time by really sweet sounding chords and clean interludes. “Break These Chain’s” and “Only Time Will Tell” are the last 2 tracks on the record and both are possibly the most dramatic feeling albums with their use of backing tones and powerful vocal lines, the album started strong and possibly finished stronger.

For a debut album from a British band who not too long ago were relatively unknown with no stamp on the metal scene this is a very impressive achievement! Not only that but the quality of the music in incredible, seeing as bands usually mature with age so this starting point to me is very promising, Jamie’s vocals are still perfect as well which definitely makes me biased with my love for the band. All I can hope for is that they stop going alone with these pathetically small tours and start doing some proper supports the way that they’re supposed to because with one album on the go they do not yet have the following to live up to these headline tours.

4/5

Review by James Webb
 Band Members
Heart Of A Coward - Band
Jamie Graham
Carl Ayers
Steve Haycock
Vishal "V" Khetia
Christopher "Noddy" Mansbridge
 Track Listing
1. Motion
2. All Eyes to the Sky
3. Around a Girl (In 80 Days)
4. We Stand as One
5. Light
6. Shade
7. Nightmare
8. Hope & Hindrance
9. And Only Time Will Tell
10. Break These Chains
 Band Related Links
Heart Of A Coward Facebook
 Review Score Code
- Top Cheese
- Brilliant
- Pretty damn good
- Ok I guess
- What Was That?