The Bottom Line
Melodic modern metal.
Pros
- Songs very catchy and radio-friendly.
Cons
- Harsh vocals not convincing.
Description
- Released June 20, 2006 on Alkamedia Records.
- Album mixed by Michael "Elvis" Baskette.
- This is the band's debut album.
Guide Review - Hourcast - State Of Disgrace
On their debut album the Boston band Hourcast has the formula for success. It's loud and aggressive, but also very melodic with several songs that could easily be in heavy rotation on rock radio. Their songs are chock full of big hooks and crunchy but not abrasive riffs. They also use a lot of keyboard, and on a few of the songs it sounds like they borrowed the tone and lines from the '80s band The Cars.
Patrick McBride's melodic vocals are strong. His voice has a good amount of range and emotion. But when he tries to do angry metal yelling it doesn't sound quite right. The band has opened for Sevendust on tour, and they have a similar vibe of metal with melody. Hourcast has a lot of potential for crossover success.
