Band : Heart in Hand
Album Title : Only Memories
Label : Siege Of Amida
Distributor : Siege Of Amida
Release date : 16/05/2011
Release : CD

Having been around only since late 2008, it would be fair to say that Southern England's based Melodic Hardcore act Heart In Hand (to be more precise they're from Bournemouth & Southampton) have come a long way in only a short time...but it didn't come without a lot of effort and perseverance from the band.

Currently with a line-up (not sure whether anyone's been replaced since the band's formation) comprising singer Charlie Holmes, guitarists Ollie Wilson & Ed Hartwell, bassist Carl Martin, and drummer Duncan Andrews, the quintet immediately drew a lot of attention when they put a demo of the song “Loyalty”, getting over 1,000 plays within the hour of being posted on the band's MySpace. The band subsequently delivered its self-titled 6-track debut EP in early 2009, started a popular merchandise line (with frequent new designs), and has thrown itself on the live circuit like something fierce, not only getting support slots for shows with the likes of For The Fallen Dreams, Dead Swans, Carpathian, Gallows, and others, but also touring with such important acts as TRC, Lower Than Atlantis, and putting in a full month's tour of the UK and Europe with Melodic Hardcore legends It Prevails during last summer. Earlier in 2010, the band allied with SGR Artist Management, beginning the campaign to bring HIH to the next level. Following their aforementioned Summer tour with It Prevails, the guys secluded themselves for a 3-month period to complete the writing process for the 10 tracks we now find on their debut album...which was recorded during January 2011 with producer Andy Hayball of Slipknot and Bring Me the Horizon fame. Then, in February, the band signed onto the Siege Of Amida Roster.

As you will immediately understand from listening to the material available on the internet (5 tracks on the band's MySpace page, 3 on their Last.fm page, and 3 more on their Facebook page, for a total of 7 different songs, 2 of which also in demo form) HIH has everything it takes to become a successful band it its genre: passionately screamed vocals, great tunes filled with a wonderful blend of Hardcore ferocity and melody, and the drive to continue pushing the envelope. In one word: an album (total length just under 38 ½ minutes) you do nót wanna miss out on! Absolutely worthy of being nominated for a place in my year-lists!

98/100

Tony.