Heartless – Hell Is Other People – Album Review

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is a kick-ass city. Not only did they basically provide all the METAL that built the United States, they are the hometown of zombies (George Romero’s films always revolve around the Steel City)! It’s a tough town that breeds tough bands, and Heartless fits perfectly – hitting you like a ten ton steel girder swung from a 50 foot crane.

I am pretty sure that sparks flew from the speakers when I punched up their killer album Hell Is Other People. Heartless combines hardcore with some d-beat punk and a healthy dose of sludge/grind to create one of the most compelling listens this year. ‘Clean Slate’ opens with feedback and then crushes with thick riffs and bludgeoning drums. The vocals by Cory are just perfect; extreme, urgent and held together by raw emotion.

This is a talented band. I like hardcore, but to be honest, it can easily sound very samey. Not Heartless. The reason this music is necessary is because the band has immense talent. Nowhere is that more evident than on the back to back tunes ‘Late’ and ‘Undulation’. The band goes from insane, filthy and angry snarls to a doomy buildup and crusty bounce. Yeah, I said crusty bounce. It works for Lemmy so stick it.

Heartless can hang with this new generation of hardcore heroes that include Nails, All Pigs Must Die and Gaza to name a few. There are times in each week, hell sometimes each DAY, where I don’t want any proggy, noodly or technical stuff. I want a full-on pulverizing sonic assault! Throw in the political and intelligent lyrics and I am hooked!

Get to know this band. Because if you can survive in Pittsburgh, you can take over the world. They just might.

Track Listing

01. Clean Slate
02. Resuscitate/Suffocate
03. Cede
04. Late
05. Undulations
06. Tight Grip
07. Deject
08. Pathogen
09. Out Of Focus
10. Cast Down
11. Blinders
12. Cop Out
13. Hard Feelings