Throwing Out The Rule Book
Berkshire quintet Mia Hope isn’t like many British bands currently plying their trade. Harpooning the hardcore scene, usually the hunting ground of mostly US bands, the British rockers have set out to stir things up a tad, taking their love of all things fierce and ferocious from the hardcore scene and stabbing the life out of it with a rush of intelligent, melodic mathcore just to shake things up. And it works as debut album, ‘We Are Just satellites’ teases, confuses and most importantly pulsates with true primitive fury.
‘Pollyana’, the very name immediately conjures up images of an annoying little blonde girl running around and interfering with people’s lives, but maybe that says more about a troubled childhood than Mia Hope’s opening track... Luckily the Berkshire lads' take on the subject is one with a little more bite and a heap less Disney sentimentality. True, it is a track of misconceptions, one that is only too happy to wrap warm tantalising riffs around you, gently oozing a wealth of intelligent progressive hardcore that merely hints of aggression before the rug is literally pulled out from beneath you and all hell breaks loose - with brilliant results. From the crunching undercurrent that transcends into a tidal wave of unbridled raw rage, ‘Pollyana’ contently beats any child hood misconceptions senseless, unleashing a raging blitz of pure visceral venom to bang your head to with glee.
From here on in ‘We Are Just Satellites’ is a white knuckle ride of heavy crushing beats welded to heart stopping screams that both scare and excite. Fast, ferocious and unapologetically furious, ‘We Are Just Satellites’ pummels and pounds as the brilliantly titled ‘Great Danes With Wings’ ensnares, reluctantly releasing its grip merely for ‘Microbial Culture’ to get a better grip amid gruff throat aching growls and sky striving guitar solos that mesmerise and dazzle.
Ultimately it is left to album closer ‘Writing In The Dark’ to have the final say. Aggressive yet with an epic melodic edge, ‘Writing In The Dark’ marries the rough with the smooth with hypnotic effect as its adrenaline packed quickness weaves around the tender melody that undoubtedly stirs things up.
Refusing to follow trends, Mia Hope have thrown out the rule book and written a new one to suit only them. Sure, there are parts of ‘We Are Just Satellites’ that could be improved, for instance certain aspects seem over played or even slightly repetitive but for a debut album, it is one that screams potential. This is certainly one to keep an eye on and a band that most definitely need to be seen on the live circuit.