28 March 2024

Hand To Hand – Design The End / Follow The Horizon

Releasedate: 11-05-2009; Label: Lifeforce records
By: Sabine van Gameren

From America, Hand To Hand is bringing is post-hardcore, with an emo touch. “Design The End / Follow The Horizon”is the second full length under Lifeforce records.

A certain reference to the old school metal is in the music of Hand To Hand, but where you think this counts as a base for their sound you are wrong. The band focused more on that post hardcore style, where vocals tend to be a bit emo. The band made me think of the Dutch heroes San Andreas. The album is filled with switches from heaven to hell and back. Maybe a bit too much to my taste. Some songs end a bit abrupt as well which made it sound like the songs need some construction. This band may need some time to grow up in general, songwriting wise, but when listening to the guitar in particular you realize there could be some more originality in there. The songs have all the same concept and therefore a bit boring for those who are not exactly die-hard fans of this genre. The band took a complete new line up for this album except from their vocalist Rob Kellom, so there might be some reconsidering after they delivered this product to the world.

Anyway, the album is not a complete disaster, but it ain’t satisfying. Maybe they have to grow more, as a musician, a band and in general.

Line Up:
Rob Kellom – vocals
John Radford – guitar
Arturo Matamoros – guitar and vocals
John Raudebaugh – bass
Danny Strong – drums

Tracklist:
In This City
State of Emergency
Last Saturday was Way Better
I Drew a Portrait in Philly
Mr. Warwithin
The Lion’s Den
Passing Through
Love Muscle
Los Muertos Caminan
Lets End this Album with a Party

Links:
Hand to Hand MySpace