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Album: The Satellite Years
Label: Trustkill
Web: [url]www.hopesfall.com[/url]
Lineup:
Joshua Brigham - guitar
Mike Tyson - bass
Chad Waldrup - guitar/vocals
Adam Morgan - drums
Jay Forrest - vocals
Formed in late 1998, Hopesfall began as a christian hardcore band in North Carolina. However, there is none of that here. In fact, only 2 members remain in the band from its formation 6 years ago. The band never really developed a big enough following with their previous (and impossible to find...unless you are me) debut release "The Frailty of Words". In 2002, they released the EP "No Wings To Speak Of" and actually began to get a solid fan base. Then came the lineup changes. Former singer Doug Venable left the band after the EP was released. Just after finishing this cd, their guitarist/vocalist and founding member Ryan Parrish also left. Bassist Chad Walrup switched the Guitars and a new bassist was found, but this left many fans wondering if the band could pull off a good Trustkill debut.
I imagine that after most .hopesfall. fans put "The Satellite Years" into their cd player they will be in wonder. The CD artwork is absolutley henomenal, and suits the cd perfectly. But enough, onto what counts: the music. The band has changed a lot - but for the better. The lyrics are less spiritual (which is good or bad depending on your view...), but still have a lot of interpretation allowed. "The Satellite Years" opens with the instrumental Andromeda...the guitars work together perfectly for give a very spacey vibe (one reason why the title fits the cd so well) and draws you into the cd. Suddenly, on "Waitress" you are floored by Jay Forrest's ruthless screams. The guitar riffs on this cd are amazing, managing to both be hardcore but not to heavy as to make the spacey feel of the cd go away. "Dead In Magazines" seems to be a look at how fake people have really become...but the lyrics are so cryptic that it is open to interpretation. The electric/acoustic switches in it is perfect and it gives you a sense of peace. However, when "Dana Walker" hits this goes away, and you can tell that Adam Morgan has really progressed as a drummer. Jay Forrest tears into this "Dana Walker" character (if they really do exist) and leaves no stone unturned. The lyrics in this song are probably the best i've seen in a long time:
"please baby not another stare, i've been in that trance before.
those burning eyes half glazed with tints of fury and resentment.
Fighting not to look back, and still tasting the dust from the last time we did.
We sift through the crowds without a care, only to leave the burnt pattern of a waking nightmare.
lonliness finds beneath dim lights where pen and paper spell out confusion.
failing to escape those nights of solitude
it's then that you realize
you're the one who wants to cry something
because you feel nothing."
Flawless song! It calms down to just the guitars and drums...and again the band leaves you feeling like the song will just slow down and end...only to jump back into the song heavy as ever. The next song "Decoys Like Curves" is where the band shows off their perfection. This song is mostly sung, and shows the amazing range of screamer Jay Forrest (im not sure if he sings it on the cd, but both times I have seen them live he has song the song perfectly). The lyrics are again, absolutley cryptic yet perfect. And the cd doesn't slow down. "A Man Exits" has one of the better guitar riffs as the intro and is another great listen. The instrumental "Red Shift" keeps you with the record, again giving a very space-like atmosphere to the cd, without being too drawn out. "Only The Clouds" is a longer song on the cd...yet there is little lyrics. The guitars draw out the ending of this song perfectly....with each instrument slowly and respectively fading out to give the guitars (on a clean setting) playing. "Escape Pods for the Intangibles" isn't an instrumental, but at the same time it isnt a full fledged song. The short phrase "I left the horizon, curled up and frozen still. The tilting of the hour glass, with all this time to kill" is repeated over and over but manages never to get old or annoying. The closer track, "The Bending" is a prime example of this cd, and really is this cd all wrapped up. It comes in with heavy riffs and Jay's screams....and right in the middle of the song switches to a clean sound and manages to stay fresh. The band manages to switch back and forth from this better than anyone in hardcore today. The long, drawn out outro closes the cd in the most perfect way possible.
"The Satellite Years" is flawless. The guitars trade off perfectly, and use harmonics and many other tricks layered over their riffs to make the cd sound all the most like a trip in space...without loosing and of the hardcore feeling. The drums have improved vastly from previous releases. The bass compliments everything very well, and the mix of Jay's absolutly terrifying screams and singing shape this cd. The production on this cd (done by Matt Talbott). The artwork works with the cd and allows you take a break from everything, if even for 40 minutes. My only complaint is that this cd is only 10 songs (40 minutes) long. This has to be one of Trustkill's best cds and I can't wait for their second cd which is due this October.
Rating:5/5
Best Songs: The cd itself is just one trip, but if I had a gun to my head I'd pick: Dana Walker, Decoys Like Curves and The Bending.
For Fans of:
Hopesfall is almost uncomparable, but if you like hardcore or any music with screaming you should check them out. The lyrics are brutally honest and can be interpreted by anyone.
**I didn't come into this cd a huge fan when I bought it back in November, and have since become one. However this cd still floors me today as it did when i first listened to it. The band doesnt just ride off the production, as both times I have seen them live (their live performance convinced me to get the cd) they made the songs just as beautifully as on this cd**
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Good review :chug: . I love Hopesfall, all the cd's are great tunes. "The Frailty of Words" is pretty good, I love the track "Lament", such a good instrumental. They became better with the E.P. "No Wings To Speak Of", every song rules. And now, "The Satellite Years", mmm, classic album.
I love the guitar work, alot. I also like how all their songs pretty much progress and be ridding of cliche transitions from verse to chorus, but none the less, they have awesome breakdowns :thumb: I love all the instruments and how they come together. The driving, polyrhythm drums, and the parts where the bass keeps the structure lines going while the guitars do their harmonizing/solo's/appreggio's and etc, (Like in "Decoys Like Curves".. the outro of the song "reasons found decoys..", the soloing with the awesome bassline).
Some of my favorite songs include..
- Lament
- The End of an Era
- The Far Pavilions
- Open Hands To The Wind
- the whole "The Satellite Years" CD :thumb:
They are currently working on a new CD, and I can't wait for that 
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Thanks
yes, i have the frailty of words...you can get it from their old christian label at www.dtsrecords.com or at ebay like i did. It's pretty good, but its horribly underproduced.
I also can't wait for the new cd...its going to be amazing .
the better old songs are:
the broken heart of a traitor
shines through
lament
april left with silence
open hands to the wind
the end of an era
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Pretty good review. I'm a pretty big Hopesfall fan myself, but I wouldn't call them hardcore.
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Really good review, you were able to back up your opinion. This album doesn't really do it for me though, maybe I just didn't give it enough of a chance but it always bored me. I have nothing against slow music, I like Neurosis, but this album just bored me. The one thing I did like about it though was the guitar work. Very solid, and I like the chords they used and the different textures created. I don't really like Jay's scream or singing either, I prefer Doug by far. The best part about this CD for me, though, is "The Bending". That lays waste to everything else on The Satellite Years.
Oh yeah, and I wouldn't say The Frailty of Words is "impossible to find". I like how you threw the "unless you're me" in there. Way cool duder. Actually though, they sell it in Hot Topic, but I actually bought it at Facedown Fest this year.
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Yeah, this is an amazing CD. They use amazing melodic vocals and guitar. Hopesfall is one of the best hardcore bands out there.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Hopesfall is definitely a keeper. They have the fun rockin' stuff that's apparent on the surface but all of their music is very layered and interesting. I really like how they play with time signatures.
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Hopesfall is definitely not hardcore.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
[QUOTE=aloveforenemies]Hopesfall is definitely not hardcore.[/QUOTE]
They're progressive hardcore of the modern variety.
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Whatever they are, they're decent. dehftones had me listen to them a little while ago and, even with all the screaming, I like them. Sure, my favorite track is "Escape Pod for Intangibles", but "Waitress" and "The Bending" are up there, too. You did well on the review, if a little bit high. I wouldn't say this is a perfect album and a must-have for any musical collection, but I wouldn't disagree if you were to give it a 4.
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They're emocore.
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I say they're kickass, but hey, that's me... i'm not into genre-dropping
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I'd say Frailty of Words and the No Wings to Speak of EP were emocore, but The Satellite Years is beyond both of those works. DFelon pretty much hit the nail right on the head.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
[QUOTE=BuddyBigsby]I'd say Frailty of Words and the No Wings to Speak of EP were emocore, but The Satellite Years is beyond both of those works. DFelon pretty much hit the nail right on the head.[/QUOTE]
If you ask me, everything .hopesfall. touches turns to gold. I mean Frailty of Words is really rough around the edges but in the end it's freakin' solid. Then you move onto No Wings to Speak Of, which is the height of good songwriting in my opinion. This EP has more moments where I just think "wow" than most full length albums that I would rate 4.5-->5. "The End of an Era" is just one of the best written songs ever. By this point, the band has really figured out how to write some killer hardcore songs but then, they decide the throw everyone a curve ball and add progressive rock and space rock on The Satellite Years. I feel it's more of them expanding outside of their niche, which has them at a loss in the songwriting department but in a more experimental and ultimately more interesting vein of hardcore. The song "Waitress" alone tweaks out my brain enough considering the clapping breakdown with screaming and all. It's just freakin' cool. I feel by their next CD they will either have no way to trump this CD's talent and the EP's songwriting and will regress, or they will combine the two and finally get a good foothold in the progressive realm of their music, which will produce one of the best albums of all time. They're currently writing and recording. Wish them luck.
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Oh I think their new cd will blow us away. They played a new song live at a show, and it was pretty good. I don't think it had a name or I didnt hear it....but it sounded good.
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Yes, im shamelessly bumping this up...because more people should listen to hopesfall. they're really good...go download some songs or better yet, just buy the cd. I guarentee if you like screaming this is perfect!
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They rock, I love all their albums/eps. Do you guys know any other bands with a similar formula (heavy guitars/vocals but clean/melodic breakdowns, the breakdowns are sometimes my favorite parts) ? Guess its called melodicore or whatever, ****ing genre titles piss me off.
Check out Skycamefalling - 10.21 (the song not the album) for a cool melodic song by a hardcore band.
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Skycamefalling were incredible.
Check out Fordirelifesake, Simple. *beats DFelon*
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
[QUOTE=BuddyBigsby]Skycamefalling were incredible.
Check out Fordirelifesake, Simple. *beats DFelon*[/QUOTE]
Damn you lunchbox! Download the song "10-31-99."
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Good review, Hopesfall is good taleneted band
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[QUOTE=BuddyBigsby]Skycamefalling were incredible.[/QUOTE]
Eh, they broke up?
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