Kerrang! | Issue 852 (12th May 2001)

Single Of The Week... Hell Is For Heroes - 'Sick/Happy' | 'Cut Down'

Symposium's flame may have flickered brightly and briefly, but now it's time to knuckle down to business. From the aforementioned likeable popcore wrecking crew, guitarist will McGonagle and drummer Joe Birch return with three friends, a whole heap of attitude and one ear cocked to the bands who 'Symposium' really wanted to be. Low-key debut 'Cut Down', then, is a beefy and accomplished tangled web of searing 'Deftones'-ish guitars while flip-side 'Sick/Happy' replicates the original emo sounds of yore (back when hardcore was still part of the equation) making this the best debut since 'Hundred Reasons' excellent 'Cerebra'. All of which suggests that by Christmas HIFH will be your favourite new band and that flicker of youth will have turned into an adult inferno. Extra points for the cool quasi-existential name too.

KKKKK

by Ben Myers