Hopesfall - Magnetic North

LABEL:

Trustkill

GENRE:

Post-Hardcore

RELEASE:

May 15, 2007

LENGTH:

52 min 29 sec

RATING:

It's been a long time since I've seen a band lose so many fans so fast. For years, Hopesfall had created epic, spacey, melodic post-hardcore music that had garnered them much critical acclaim in the underground music scene. Beginning as a Christian metal-core band, they eventually dropped the religious label and began crafting some of the most ambient hardcore the world had ever heard. The band's lyrical content was usually overshadowed by their music, but for some reason, that was acceptable because the sound was unique. This trend continued until 2004, when they released A Types, an act that pissed off the vast majority of their listeners and caused their popularity to plummet. Foreground melodies and heavy screams were replaced by radio-friendly singing and a more straightforward sound, earning the band a huge "sell out" label. Unlike 99% of (former) Hopsefall fans, I enjoyed the album, and decided not to give them the old heave-ho. While it wasn't as experimental as their older material, it was a decent rock record and it wasn't catchy enough to push them into the mainstream.

After remaining in fan-limbo for a couple years, they released Magnetic North. I didn't know what to expect because I didn't see them returning to their roots and I knew that another "bad" record could put them under for good. As it turns out, they somehow managed not to launch themselves headfirst into destruction. Taking one step forward and two steps back (which might be a good thing for the Hopesfall deserters), their newest effort is a mixture of old and new. The songs are somewhat less structured than on A Types, and there are even some short, vocal interludes thrown into the mix. The strangest aspect of this album, at least compared to their older material, would have to be the song titles. I certainly never expected to see anything from this band that could be mistaken for overblown or witty. You know, it's the kind of creativity that makes you look like you're attempting cash in with bizarre names like "Swamp Kittens," "Vacation/Add/Vacation!" and "Cubic Zirconias Are Forever." Weak.

If you're looking for a return to form, the introduction to "East of 1989; Battle of the Bay" is vintage Hopesfall, but that's about it. Magnetic North is more like its predecessor than anything else, but it desperately tries to sound like its older siblings. There are moments when the album gives the impression that it could have been born between No Wings To Speak Of and The Satellite Years, but for the most part, this album deserves to exist in a strictly post-A Types era. It doesn't help that the membership of this band has been a constantly revolving door, throwing any sense of stability out the window. In the end, it's really difficult to give this album a thorough review because there's really not much to it. Come to think of it, that's been the case with every album they've made. I guess there's not much of a need to review their albums in the first place. Oh well.