Hopeless Heroic - Become The Monster
Two years after the release of Mechanical Lions Hopeless Heroic are back with a full-length album; Become The Monster.
The Scottish rockers jump straight into action with opening track Death Whispers; the first thing that hits you is the violin riff. It catches your attention, as it's not what you expect to hear. The violin work is quickly backed up by a thumping bassline, within the few opening bars Hopeless Heroic have my full attention.
The album is full of genre blurring tracks, with plenty of musical twists and turns. There's a commercial value to their music, I can easily imagine hearing it on the radio, but it is different enough to appeal to a wide variety of people, including a more alternative audience.
Become The Monster is home to some great sounds, and is very diverse. One of the stand out tracks for me is Almost Dead Famous which has a slight Matches vibe to it. Like Father Like Son has a great intro - it's dark and menacing.
Hopeless Heroic have built up a loyal following on the live scene, and after listening to Become The Monster I understand why. This five piece are different to the vast majority of bands out there, and their clever use of the violin really makes them stand out amongst the crowd. This is a great album that is well worth checking out.