The Fly | (June 2001)

Ones To Watch... Hell Is For Heroes

Don't be by the grin, this is West London and we are HAVING IT!!! Oh yes, none of these poxy American bands. We're doing it properly now. And why not. There is a corner of every football pitch that is forever England. These is also a corner of W11 that will kick your fucking head in if you stand close enough to the speaker. There is no time for pretending, there is only now, and the emotions that exude from that exact moment are the ones that make the hairs on the back of neck stand up straight. The new wave of disposable American guitar bands has given the rock market fresh impetus to grab the guitar and make as much noise as humanly possible. Great. More convoluted histrionics dressed up as a new band. Trouble with this little lot is that it's real, they rock and there's no plan. Is there. Will (guitarist)? "Nah. I just want to make an LP that kids listen to, enjoy and as a result go and pick up an instrument of their own, in the way Nirvana influenced my generation. I don't expect us to be that important but i would love to inspire someone!" Our young team are in Cardiff supporting Sunna (who never seem to stop touring!) and ex-symposium handful Will is happily democratic about the angrily named Hell Is For Heroes. "Yeah, this time it's all split five ways. It also helps that, although our tastes are quite diffrent, we still like the heavier stuff and i can write big riffs now that are good to hear and great to play". Musically HIFH are an angular and melodic Fugazi, who owe more to the incredible sonics of Deftones and Bad Brains that to the middle class, lite-fraggle rock of (early) Symposium. "We're not aiming to sound like anything really. But, Fugazi? If we had to sound of someone, then..." The phone makes a weird screeping noise and there's a dull thud closely followed by new mischief-kicker Justin. Totally new to this singing lark, aren't you mate? "Yeah, yeah!" he enthuses, infectiously. "It's mental - two weeks ago i was pushing numbers in a grim fucking office job and now i'm on tour with the baddest band in the land. It's wicked mate". And he means it. Recruited to the fray after a particularly heavy night last October, Justin got the job after proclaiming that, "I just wanted to make a loud noise and have an identity. Just us, no baggy trousers or wishing we were American. Five west London boys who like playing LOUD!" And with that I get grief about liking Tranmere Rovers (from a bunch of QPR supporters!) and the line goes dead. They've only been together a matter of weeks, But you wouldn't know it. The manager played me the demo when the band wasn't even a fornight old. He left knowingly pleased about the future - i had to stay behind and pick up the shattered glass. Heavy? You don't know the half of it.

'Sick/Happy' | 'Cut Down' is being released as a limited edition CD single or seven inch from, Superior Quality Recordings.

by Ian Abraham

(N/B. No 7"s have been made, this was a misprint)