Savage Hands - The Truth In Your Eyes Album Review
Review by Brady Cloven
Savage Hands are incredibly ambitious. The Maryland post-hardcore group burst onto the scene in 2018 with their debut EP, Barely Alive, that was full of raw emotional lyrics and punchy riffs that found an audience with both metalcore and hard rock fans. Now, not even two years later, the band has crafted their follow-up, The Truth in Your Eyes, set to be released on January 31st, 2020 from Sharptone Records. While it incorporates many of the same components that contributed to the success of their debut, the band seem to have found their voice.
The album starts off with Memory and it sounds like it could have been an extra track from Barely Alive, and that is a great thing. Punchy riffs and vocals that go from melodic to snarls in an instant run rampant on this track. Braindead keeps the momentum going as vocalist Michael Garrow belts out verses that seem to bounce right off the riffs. The second verse focuses more on the vocal side of things and features some really killer harmonies. Blue New comes in on a more atmospheric, electronic note that launches full steam ahead into the more familiar riffs. I really love the screams on this song, especially through the breakdown. I am a sucker for breakdowns and if you’re like me, this song is for you. Demon slides right into the lineup and serves up the catchiest chorus on the entire album with more of those delicious harmonies to really give the lyrics life. After the second chorus, the song takes a nasty little turn and slowly builds up to another headbanging-inducing breakdown.
It’s almost like a Three Days Grace sound if they went more metalcore. As your ears are still ringing, Rotten Soul, comes in and slows things down but only for a short moment as the pounding drums come soaring in and the vocals turn back into the snarl we all love. Washed Away is where the album comes up just a bit short as the guitar turns into more of a strum and the song takes on a ballad-esque feel. It’s not a bad song, but it feels out of place on an album that was turning into a barnburner. Lonely saves the day and comes in fast and hard. It has some electronic elements that do really well with the pacing of the song and the vocals continue to be the strongest part of this record. Bloodshot sounds straight out of The Used’s track list and is the most up-tempo song on the album. The vocals seem to be running a race with the instruments for most of the song and you’re never sure which one is going to win. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Break the Ice and Crazy give off a more alternative rock feel than post-hardcore, but they are still catchy and are not weak by any means.
Never Change finishes off the album with a healthy mixture of melody and heaviness while still letting the vocals have the prominence they most definitely deserve.
Although the album has some shortcomings when it tried to do too much and incorporate some shoegaze or when it slowed down right in the middle of all the chaos, the band have still created something that is going to set them apart from the rest of the scene. Most of the time I felt like I was bouncing back and forth between Of Mice and Men’s newest stuff, The Used, and The Word Alive. If you love bouncy riffs and vocal harmonies to die for, you will absolutely love this album. I know I did.