s/t cd Description
South London’s Hellbent Diehard blend a bewildering array of diverse influences on their unique debut CD. Despite being held together by a continuous brutal street-level groove, the band journeys through a myriad of styles, taking from hardcore, punk, rock, metal and post-hardcore to create an intricate and technical sound that, it is safe to say, is completely their own yet fits in well with the acts alongside them on Rucktion Records.
Combining the above influences in a convincing manner requires a high standard of musicianship, and without doubt this is something the band possesses in abundance. Guitar and bass solos abound, held together by some ultra-tight and distinctive drum patterns. Of course, with such a broad vision it’s crucial that the voice of the band matches its musical power, and vocalist Chris is clearly up to the task. His clear and unmistakably London-accented vocals also experiment with melody and gruffness, as the rest of the band occasionally add their own lines to keep the variation going. In a scene saturated with clones, Hellbent Diehard’s debut unquestionably stands alone and without equal as ultra-ambitious and conceptual, yet unmistakably hardcore. This band delivers on all fronts and it is hard not to be impressed by their simultaneous intelligence and brutality.