Old skool Hardcore not by numbers
Heartfelt Discord are old-skool from their music to the themes of their songs. Although they claim not to conform to any genres, there is a definite leaning towards discordant punk and hardcore that would make bands like Black Flag and Bad Religion proud. There are two distinct but similar types of styles on this EP: one is fast and energetic, and the other is slower, subdued and melodic. Both have shouty vocals in common though.
A great little feature of 'Something From Within' is the fact that the first and last tracks are the same in terms of how they're arranged. There's a short spoken piece at the start of each song (although the hip-hop style sample for 'Indifference' is questionable) and before morphing into the sort of fast, loud hardcore that inspires spinning circles in the mosh pit.
Other stand out tracks include 'Ties that Bind'- atmospheric punky hardcore that builds and builds from a quiet, subdued start, but nevertheless has smatterings of The Offspring throughout. The two Bad Religion moments come near the end, from 'Heartfelt Discord' and 'Sculpture'. They're quite different from the others, but the shouty vocals don't quite seem to gel with the quieter music. It's a pity because with slightly more restrained vocals, they could be really good.
As things go, this EP is pretty decent given the fact that it's tied to the 80s DC scene in no uncertain terms. Fans of hardcore will like this, but I'm not sure how much of a wider appeal it will have. 'Something from Within' isn't bad for a first effort though.