Let's be honest, the vast majority of hardcore music is similar sounding. There is only so many ways in which you can arrange music that falls under the umbrella of hardcore. Sure, there are small variations in style and sound, but the moment a band redefines what hardcore is and becomes the next big thing there is a fleet of new bands following suit. This is why lyrics play such an important role in the world of hardcore. And just to clarify things a bit more, it's not just what you say, but also the manner in how you say things that truly define which artists are considered head above shoulders.
Blacklisted has quickly elevated themselves above most since taking to the scene in 2003. And while many focus on the musical aspect of Blacklisted - not to discredit the band's music because it is definitely a sound that I feel is well written and structured, not to mention unique - it is the lyrical prose of George Hirsch that has drawn the attention of this particular musical connoisseur.
Heavier than Heaven, Lonelier than God is the band's second full-length release and first since a near-fatal breakup in 2006. Like their previous full-length,
The Beat Goes On, this album is filled with menacing and aggressive hardcore. This is partnered with what is perhaps the most in-depth and self-analytical writings that I've ever come across. For Hirsch, there is not a single moment of his life that is safe from his overly critical self-analysis. Hirsch is beyond honest, revealing his deepest feelings of anger, frustration, resentment, depression, and hatred - all of which at some point seem to be directed inward. Never has an individual been so forward or sincere; but truthfulness is cathartic and without these releases in his writings Hirsch may have ended up a victim of his own hand. Perhaps I should just let Hirsch's words speak for themselves
If I had to pick a song to best exhibit Hirsch's talent as a writer it would be "Wish." (I'm not going to dissect what Hirsch has written because I think people should make their own interpretations.)
Please just give me / A Chan Marshall eulogy / If I was ever anything at all / It's all breaking news to me / Breaking down in a rage / Just to apologize / It's really so strange / Watching all these strangers sigh / It feels like I'm living / Through my last days every day / On your strongest of days / You couldn't make me feel any less insane / Wish the ongoing theme about me / Wasn't "He's just crazy" / Wish I knew safety / Wish nothing phased me / Wish I felt more than just feelings of unrest / Wish the darkness didn't cloud me / Wish I wasn't an emotional wreck.
Musically Blacklisted have continued to develop their sound within the realm of hardcore. They have built upon the unadulterated aggression that fueled their previous material by infusing more complexities. By no means are they venturing into the land of technical metalcore or avant-garde indie rock, but Blacklisted have found ways to become progressive, adding depth to their music. Layerings of distortion, guitar effects, and other techniques not of the norm to hardcore have allowed them to blur the line of hardcore, all at the same time still demonstrating that they can rage with the best of them.
It's no surprise that Blacklisted has become one of hardcore's most admired and revered acts in the current hardcore scene. The band's dedication to their craft and seemingly never-ending touring regiment has amassed a fanbase that a band of any market would kill to have. Heavier than Heaven, Lonelier than God could very well become this band's magnum opus.
