Lovehatehero

White Lies (2007)

Bryan

In 2005 Lovehatehero released their impressive debut, Just Breathe. In between their first full-length and its follow-up, White Lies, the band lost a drummer and both guitarists. After replacing the members, the band settled down and wrote what would easily become their best effort to date.

Straight from the beginning it's entirely obvious this isn't the same Lovehatehero, as the album-opening "Goodbye My Love" comes out with both guns a-blazing, as Myke Russell and Kevin Gruft straight up shred through the entire song, topping it all off with a solo at the end leaving the listener surprised, especially if they had already written off the band. And that's the biggest change that separates White Lies from the rest of the pack. Kevin Gruft and Myke Russell each prove they know how to use their guitars, as just about every song features a memorable solo. The guitar work, especially those solos, are even more reminiscent of At the Gates than the genre's typical endeavors. While the band may share several similarities with bands like Funeral for a Friend and Scary Kids Scaring Kids throughout the verses, it's the soloing that helps blow the listener away.

Another one of the album's improvements is how varied the songs are, especially compared to how a majority of Just Breathe blended together. Songs like "You Got Served" and "To the End" are heavy hitting, while tracks like "Move On" and "White Lies" are more mellow and melodic. The lyrics also vary, ranging from songs about girls to songs about the band and songs about Hollywood's anorexia obsession. Keeping all of the songs together is vocalist Pierrick Berube, whose vocals range from efficient singing to the occasional shout, all backed up with layered vocals from just about everyone in the band, á la the Receiving End of Sirens.

It was on this very site where I saw someone call this band "A Wilhelm Scream gone emo." I think that comparison holds true in the sense that each band brings to the table notable musicianship that rises above the genre's typical fare. While some of it has been done before, it's still some of the best work to come from the post-hardcore/emo genre and it's varied enough, making White Lies one of the year's biggest surprises.