Heavier than Heaven, Lonelier than God

I do not know exactly why I put off giving this record a solid listen for so long, but I just want to know why no one ever slapped me upside the head for such a travesty. This record is easily one of the best records to come out in recent memory. A modern classic detailing what made this band such a recognizable force within the realm of hardcore to begin with. This record shows the ongoing evolution of what is known as Blacklisted, as a band and as an idea.

This is Blacklisted.
George Hirsch is a man who has some problems. Problems that a lot of us, growing up in the hardcore scene, seem to deal with regularly, but there are few us with the ability to express such issues in so few words and in such a way that the lyrics move you more than the music at times. In such a way that all you can see is those words. All you can see is the image being portrayed. The image is of the rawest of emotions.

Musically, it's a sonic wrecking ball: churning out riff after riff of devastatingly urgent hardcore. At times, it gives me a bit of a Bars or Breather Resist vibe, which is a very, very good thing. They've utilized some Southern Rock styled guitar licks which work favorably with Hirsch's recent vocal style. They seem to have also embraced the power that comes with building up the ambiance. It helps place the focus. Circuit Breaker's outro is a good example, with its reiteration of the line, "I have nothing to prove," laid out over the droning pulse of the bass. It stains the mind with those words. It rings out in your head. Those words...

I have nothing to prove.