EP REVIEW: Open Your Eyes – Hometruths

If there was ever a time or a need for punk rock, it’s in today’s day and age. Everywhere you look the media will have you believe the world is gonna end and then you scratch past that surface and see the reality is generally much uglier. HOMETRUTHS fancy themselves as the very band to help Open Your Eyes, if the name of the EP is anything to go by. Whilst changing the world might take some time, the band have supplied ample material for a ferocious revolution.

The minute long introduction Embers serves as an opening message to the masses, a war cry to join the cause before Feral injects a ridiculous amount of energy into the mix. HOMETRUTHS have been compared to bands like WHILE SHE SLEEPS, and for good reason, as the parallels can be drawn from the get go. It’s all used to great effect though, as the EP kicks off with such gusto and maintains the energy throughout, as the following track Divide refuses to let up the pressure. Their patchwork sound continues to show new colours as elements of COUNTERPARTS sound sneak their way into the second verse.

Both Divide and Vigilante boast choruses that do help hold the songs together well, as the band anchor their adventurous playing around these sections. HOMETRUTHS do a fantastic job of making each song an interesting listen, with constantly evolving motifs and breakdowns that spring out of nowhere and hit like Mike Tyson. There is some reliance on the breakdowns throughout the EP, but the band are able to counter these drops in tempo with a resting pace quicker than most would even consider, creating a real beneficial juxtaposition.

WMD kicks off with a swaggering groove that gets your banging with absolute ease before the song proceeds to drop you on your head with a collection of pit inciting riffs. The guitar tones used do sound ripped straight out of BEARTOOTH’s but they’re used to such visceral effect here that it’s not really an issue once your ear adjusts. The EP closes with a Genocide, a tracks that blitz’s along at breakneck speed and provides a fantastic full stop to end on, as the band go for the jugular one final time.

HOMETRUTHS have made a genuine statement of intent with Open Your Eyes. Whilst it may not change the world, Open Your Eyes has bucket loads of potential for these guys capitalise upon and establish themselves as a voice for the issues they want to bring light too. HOMETRUTHS are yet another band to join the ever growing ranks of absolutely fantastic, home grown talent. Whilst similarities can be easily found within their sound, HOMETRUTHS do enough to begin to mould their own identity, and are fully deserving of your time as a result.

Rating: 8/10

Open Your Eyes is set for release on March 3rd via CI Records.

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