Surprise package of post-hardcore laced rock
If you’ve never heard of Renee Heartfelt, then that’s ok – nor had I until now. If you thought that Renee Heartfelt was a solo female singer, you’re probably not alone either. Nothing could be further from the truth on the latter. Renee Heartfelt are a Washington D.C. based quartet featuring vocalist and guitarist Peter Appleby (ex-Count Me Out), guitarist Mike Stankovich (ex-Striking Distance), bassist Aaron Barth (also ex-Striking Distance) and drummer Colin Kimble (ex-Give Up The Ghost/American Nightmare) and historically they have quite a hardcore pedigree but together, they sound nothing like their lineage would suggest. After releasing the much lauded Magdalene EP (on Limekiln Records) in 2004, they have further refined their style and returned to work with producer Matt Squire for their first full length effort, Death Of The Ghost.
Excluding the slower building and sub one minute intro piece titled Gratitude, (for), Death Of The Ghost is dominated by more up tempo numbers such as (is) Forgiven, the catchy Misanthropes, the slower starting Sirens, the title track and the cool as fuck slide guitar based Interlude (which is not as the name would suggest) as well as what is probably the fastest track on the album in Rush.
The midway point of the album is marked with the well named Slow Down which is a tasteful and brief instrumental of drums and guitar arpeggios. Scattered throughout the album’s quicker numbers are mid paced tracks such as Control and the rockers Kerosene and The Lighthouse Man which no less rocking than the quicker numbers on here. Showing another side to Renee Heartfelt are the slow, emotive almost ballad like tracks Hollow, Sombre Silt (which morphs into a slow rock number towards the latter part) and the unlisted and haunting untitled final track.
I’m not normally one for indie rock as such but there’s something about Renee Heartfelt’s Death Of The Ghost that just grabbed my attention at the right time. If simple, catchy and post-hardcore tinged indie rock is your thing, they you’d be mad not to give this a spin.
(Textbook Music/Stomp Distribution)
