351) Hell Is For Heroes - The Neon Handshake

We are back in ignorance territory to be honest. I do know the name but they are another band where I have never heard a note.

The usual extensive research (okay reading the internet) tells me that two of the band were in Symposium who I had totally forgotten about but I didn’t mind their song Fairweather Friend so they have a pedigree.

This record, their debut, made the UK top twenty back in 2003 but like their

previous band the record company messed them about and they never.

achieved this level of success again, a familiar story.

Kerrang! Magazine voted this record the fifty eighth best British rock album.

ever so if rock music is not for you then this may not appeal. I flirt with rock.

music, I like the odd band and record and there is much to recommend here.

The one thing I have always enjoyed is a riff and this album is full of them they

also have melodies but a single riff takes us into the opener Five Kids

Go which builds into a heavy hitting chorus, good start.

Out of Sight this is where I realise I have a bit of a problem with lead singer Justin Schlosbergs vocals when he goes for it I’m afraid he is a bit to screechy for me but the quiet parts of the song him and the band carry out well, later on he seems more restrained on Few Against Many which for me is a much better song.

Cut Down is dominant drums and again these guys can riff, excellent build up to the chorus and they excel on I Can Climb Mountains, all elements come together, riffs, drums, bass and the vocals to produce the highlight of the record for me.

Disconnector they tone down the guitars, but it never really gets going for me, but there is real emotion to Slow Song. This is a record for maybe getting ready for a night out to get the adrenaline flowing. When released in 2003 I was thirty-two so maybe it would have suited me but at fifty-five maybe not what I would listen to before hitting the pub, but did I mention I enjoyed the riffs.

6.5/10

GIVE IT A STREAM: I Can Climb Mountains