With Hopesfall's 2004 offering "The Satellite Years", the band delievered a true modern classic that remains fresh and exciting to this day, and on the strength of new album "Magnetic North", it's obvious the band aren't willing to jeopardize any of their musical integrity. "Magnetic North" churns out crisp, heaving tones like a whirlpool of melodic but forcible songs with Josh Brigham and Dustin Nadler's beautifully crushing guitar melodies played over Jay Forrest's passionate vocals that swing between singing and screaming in almost perfect amounts. Add to the mix a textured drum sound that gives the music an incredible sense of atmosphere, and before you know it you're knee deep in an ethereal, graceful piece of music that borders on both brutal and beautiful. Opening track "Rx Contender The Pretender" is chock full of melody and substance, coming off as something akin to Thrice's "Vheissu" or Brand New's "The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me", while the one-minute acoustic "I Can Do This On An Island" is a raw and weighty emotion trip that comes off a whole lot more sincere than the entirety of the last My Chemical Romance record. Must hear tracks include "Secondhand Surgery", "Swamp Kittens", "East Of 1989 - Battle Of The Bay", "Vacation - Add - Vacation!" and "Head General Hospital" "Magnetic North" is all the things you'd want from an album. Heavy and uncomprosing, yet melodic and soulful, Hopesfall have a commercial sound to their songs with sing-along anthems that don't stick to any of the formulae that other bands generally find themselves leaning on. Recently I read that Hopesfall were on the verge of splitting up. I don't know who started this filthy rumor but I can gladly say its not true - such a shame it would be. Hopesfall have never been stronger.

A turbulent career seems to have cursed North Carolina’s Hopesfall in the past, the latest being a line up overhaul immediately following the recording of this album. A curious move considering this is some of the band’s best work yet. Hopefully the new crew will be able to handle the live show as it has the potential to be epic. Over the last few albums the band have progressively distanced themselves from the harder edged, scream-led music they cut their teeth on. This album has the perfect balance of both the heaviness of yesteryear and a band with a clear talent for a powerful, melody-driven rock song. The twin guitars create amazing guitar textures and vocalist Jay Forrest shares more than a passing resemblance to Daryl Palumbo. Keep an ear open for them.

On "Magnetic North", Hopesfall's third full-length in five years, the North Carolina quintet have taken their starry, atmospheric hardcore and fired it eve further into space. "Secondhand Surgery"’ sounds like an asteroid hitting your neighbours place, "Rx Contender"’ twists, turns, and snaps like an exploding rocket, "I Can Do This On An Island"’ hums and swirls beautifully, and the whole lot sits together with absolute ease. It's not that there's anything new here, in face there aren't really any major departures from the band’s sound at all. But that's because their musical template has always been shifting to accommodate raging heaviness, angular riffing, acoustic lullabies and post-rock bliss. And "Magnetic North"’ doesn't just find all of those ingredients played with near- flawless precision, it acts as the perfect bridge between Hopesfall's past releases, the sort of bristling but beautiful moves Glassjaw made with their last album, and what Deftones do today. It'll have the purists up in arms and those who like their bands in neat boxes thoroughly confused, but it's proof positive that no group deserves their hardcore tag less and that no other band have their minds so free while having their heads screwed on quite so tight. Wonderful.

When Hopesfall announced some of the details for their follow-up to 2004's A-Types album entitled Magnetic North. Some of their loyal fans must have felt their stomachs drop when they revealed that their new direction would integrate some of their true influences into their post-hardcore sound, alluding to grunge-era Smashing Pumpkins, Dinosaur Jr., and Pixies but promising "bigger, heavier riffs.” I don't know about you but when the change is as dramatic as what this appeared on paper I tend to get a little bit worried. So what is the end result of the experimental Magnetic North? Well for starters Hopesfall has shed their Christian-core tag and sounds more contemporary that they used to, their music is easier on the ears yes, there maintain their edgy sound but there is are catchy melodies and the riffage isn't only heavier at times but also memorable. Hopesfall didn't disappoint and if their goal was to have their melodic side come shinning through well mission accomplished. I can say that Magnetic North could be good starting spot if you've never heard Hopesfall before. The record might be a little bit too long, but overall I'm pleasantly surprised by the outcome and I'm sure you will be too. The standout tracks on Magnetic North are; opener “Rx Contender The Pretender,” “Cubic Zirconias Are Forever,” and “I Can Do This On An Island” long titles yes, great songs absolutely.

If you fear change, walk away. For those of you still waiting for The Satellite Years Part Deux, just go and pickup Versus the Mirror’s Home and stop your whining. Magnetic North follows the strong melodic rock approach of A Type…and it’s pretty darn enjoyable (and for those reluctant ears, you sure are missing out). Hopesfall has progressed nicely over their last couple of releases. Magnetic North picks up where A Type left off, but you can hear some of that older abrasive Hopesfall trying to surface sporadically on the newer album. Jay Forrest still sings, but from time to time his vocals get a little aggressive especially on forceful rockers like “Bird Flu,” “Devil’s Concubine,” and “Swamp Kittens.” Hopesfall’s rhythms still swim in a deep sea of reverberation and ricocheting melodies. The Juliana Theory-esque “Cubic Zirconias Are Forever” had me thinking about the now defunct Pennsylvania group, “Swamp Kittens,” “East of 1989; Battle of the Bay,” and “Bird Flu” hooked my ears in without hesitation, and the minute long interludes “I Can Do This On An Island” and “The Canon” were nice little additions nestled between Magnetic North’s vast sonic landscape. The more I listen, the more I realize how much more I enjoy Magnetic North over A Types. Overall this is a solid release from a band I’ve been following and enjoying since their Grade influenced No Wings to Speak Of EP. Their progression hasn’t bothered me, so for fans that enjoyed A Types this release will be a summertime companion you will not want to leave behind.

I am not good at describing pretty things. And that’s precisely what the last release by this North Carolina band is, which is also the reason why in this review I am avoiding using descriptive adjectives of my own. Hopesfall plays the kind of hard emo that’s heavy on the chest-pounding, introspective telling and weeping. I don’t pay attention to lyrics, so I couldn’t swear on the last one, but this surely sounds like it. Notice that I said ‘weeping’ and not ‘bitching’. The former ain’t that bad; especially when you are in a rock band these days, while the latter is totally deservedly of a beating. Now, I am not familiar with any of Hopesfall’s previous records, but how much do you want to bet that Hopesfall used to play it harder? Much much harder. I say that because the material contained in Magnetic North sounds like that of a band that along the way started listening to non emo or non hardcore bands and adopted those as influences. To the band’s credit, the record flows. It’s one of those releases that in the blink of an eye jumps from first to eighth track and you couldn’t be bothered if you actually were in the fifth. Ironically, the best cut out here is “Bird Flu” which I think is the longest track. The label said it better when they described Magnetic North as ‘soaring melodies, spacey guitars and seamless mesh of clean atmospherics with over driven post-hardcore angst’. Very accurate. One more point in favor of the band; the natural voice of Jay Forrest, who wisely does not have that girlie pitch so preferred by emo bands and stays in character throughout the record. I wouldn’t recommend Magnetic North to people in search of hard stuff. It’s almost too musical and melodic, but it is definitely bound to pick up hard rockers in search for spacey sounds and heartfelt tunes.

If it's possible for music to sound like it just reached that transcendental moment where one ascends from adolescence to adulthood, Hopesfall's latest collection of songs sounds just so. Magnetic North, the North Carolina group's fourth full-length, has the noticeable sense of growing up and moving on, like the band has resolved their issues and let go of their juvenile dilemmas and written an album the represents a new found calm and acceptance. Not to say that the music of Magnetic North sounds at all calm, with its raging guitars, layered melodies, and Jay Forrests howling vocals. In fact, although Hopesfall has been moving away from their hardcore and screamo tendencies on recent releases, this disc is still strikingly heavy with an inclination towards the more aggressive side of music. Forrest doesn't scream quite as much, however, and the band offers a few alt-rock forays into straight-up tracks like "Secondhand Surgery," which reavel a desire to convey a message without hammering it into the ear of the listener. Hopesfall still seems conflicted about whether they want to become entirely an alt-rock band and discard all hardcore elements of their music. But as far as growth goes, Magnetic North reflects an enormous stride towards maturity.

The Earth has two magnetic poles- north and south- each one opposing the other. Hopesfall have defined their sound just by the name of their newest album, Magnetic North. Their previous record, Satellite Years, would be entirely southern, which should indicate that Magnetic North is very close to A- Types, their first record. The past five years have changed and redefined Hopesfall's sound, from an all out assault in 2002 to a newfound equilibrium with their latest that sits between conventional and underground. "Swamp Kittens" has spacious tones coupled with cosmic guitar sounds and they still keep melodic guitars right next to the heavy spots to create a familiar sound on "Rx Contender the Pretender." Producer Mike Watts worked with the North Carolina five- piece, revisiting familiar qualities for this album. The general feel of A- Types still remains throughout the CD but this time there's more energy. For a third CD, magnetic north is properly aligned, still featuring atmospheric sounds with over- driven post- hardcore bouts. Hopesfall continue to differentiate themselves from other bands while staying true to their sound.

Hopesfall is never going to release a direct follow-up to The Satellite Years, and it’s about time we all got over that fact. Most of the members who were in the band at the time of that album’s release have since moved on, and they are now an entirely different beast than what they once were. And while on 2004’s A-Types you could tell they were trying desperately to progress as a band, the end result was an acceptable album that unfortunately wasn’t quite all that it could (and should) have been. With Magnetic North however, they’ve largely overcome the growing pains associated with a band losing a large portion of its members, and nailed the sound they were shooting for on A-Types. Densely melodic and epic in scope, this album sounds absolutely huge. It’s not hard to envision the choruses of songs like “Cubic Zirconias Are Forever” filling up mid-sized venues everywhere in a thick cloud of shimmering guitars and soaring vocal melodies. From the pounding riffage that opens up “Rx Pretender The Contender” to the dreamy sweet vocals that cap off album closer “Paisley,” the band shows they still know how to use soft/loud dynamics in their song writing like few other acts can. The angular clean chords of the brief “I Can Do This On An Island” promptly give way to the towering intro of “Secondhand Surgery,” and with breathtaking results. Other songs, like “The Canon” and “Swamp Kittens,” wash over you with gigantic chord progessions and gorgeous, delay-heavy single note guitar lines. Frontman Jay Forrest has further expanded his vocal range, continuing to distance himself from his days of throat searing screaming. Although he has traded much of his aggression for melody, he doesn’t come off sounding at all weak, and he wisely avoids the whole sing/scream business that has recently become more cliched than the inscription on an average Hallmark card. He finally sounds like he’s comfortable with the new sound he and his bandmates have created for themselves. With drummer Jason Trabue being the only new guy this time around to join Hopesfall, a band that has had a revolving door of members since their formation, they now sound like the confident and cohesive whole they might not have been when recording their last album. Not many bands ever take the kinds of risks with their sound like Hopesfall have with this much success. To say I don’t still secretly wish they’d put out a spiritual successor to The Satellite Years or No Wings To Speak Of would be like pissing on your leg and telling you it’s raining, but that does little to tarnish the fact that this is a surprisingly good album from a band many had (perhaps unfairly) written off. Unless there is absolutely no way you’ll ever be fully happy with Hopesfall again until they write another song like “End Of An Era” or “The Bending,” Magnetic North should be well worth the time and money it’d take you to check it out.

Hopesfall vocalist Jay Forrest describes his band’s new record, Magnetic North as “A-Types juiced up multiple times,” which is good, since I found that album to be very bland and boring, but it still went on sell over 80k. Produced by Mike Watts (As Cities Burn, As Tall As Lions), who helped Hopesfall mesh seamlessly their sound of clean atmospherics with post-hardcore angst. You can hear the rejuvenation of energy with the first two tracks on the album, “Rx Contender The Pretender” and “Swamp Kittens.” Both are very aggressively and both, at times, channel Glassjaw, circa Worship & Tribute. But as we continue throughout the album, we find it to be a mixed bag of results. “Cubic Zirconias Are Forever” follows the first two tracks and completely kills the vibe, as this four minute track just drags along, never pulling in the listener. “Secondhand Surgery” has some cool guitar work and the menacing bridge is the highlight of the song, featuring Forrest’s aggressive vocals. “Vacation/Add/Vacation!” continues the aggressive pace, with a spacey aura around it as the guitars needle in and out. But Hopesfall drops the ball with “East Of 1989; Battle Of The Bay,” which sounds heavily influenced by the alternative rock you hear on the radio. “Bird Flu” starts off by falling into the same trap as the previous track, but thankfully is saved by final crushing few minutes, as Forrest’s voice is at this best and the instrumentation around him rises up. The apex of this album, though, is found over the span of the next six minutes, as “Head General Hospital” is the best track on Magnetic North. It clings onto you immediately and is a driving force throughout its six minutes, incorporating the right balance of experimentation and fierceness. It’s a shame that the aforementioned track doesn’t close out Magnetic North, as the six and a half minute “Paisley” falls prey to an over-abundance of spacey noises and atmospherics, as this track is a snoozer. Magnetic North is a hell of a lot better than A-Types, as tracks like “Swamp Kittens,” “Secondhand Surgery,” and “Head General Hospital” all knock you on your ass. The biggest weakness though is the albums inconsistently, as it loses focus in the middle of the album and the final track. But let’s be real here, Hopesfall is neither furthering nor destroying the post-hardcore genre, rather standing somewhere in the middle: a band with a decent album that doesn’t stand out in the pack, but is still good to rock out to from time to time. After hearing A-Types a few years ago, I didn’t want to listen to this band ever again, but at least with Magnetic North, Hopesfall is interesting again.

Hopesfall have come a long way since their Christian melodic hardcore beginnings back in 1998 and despite their shifts and changes, they've managed to continue expanding their fanbase by making sure that whatever they put out, no matter how different it might be from their previous release, still maintains a relatively high quality of songwriting. Magnetic North sees the band continuing the evolution suggested by A-Types into a highly melodic, polished modern rock act. The album is a decided reach for commercial accessibility that doesn't sacrifice quality or content and even uses most of the more aggressive tricks in the band's repertoire. Album openers "RX Contender The Pretender" and "Swamp Kittens" are both strong tracks and a good indication of what you'll hear on the rest of the album. Fairly basic verses with interesting melodies give way to more aggressive bridges and choruses. The rhythm guitar work stayss front and center while most of the leads hide underneath a mile of shoegaze reverb. Every so often something vaguely metallic stumbles into the song (in the case of "Swamp Kittens," it's the odd-time Meshuggah-style riff halfway through) and reminds the listener that Hopesfall hasn't completely forsaken their past despite their current direction. When the searing lead comes in and the ending of the latter track builds to its climax, things get epic. The only times that Hopesfall seems even mildly uncomfortable is during the mellowed balladry that begins songs like "Cubic Zirkonias Are Forever" (their spelling choice, not mine) or constitutes the entirety of "I Can Do This On An Island," but once things get loud again, it's easy to forgive any temporary lulls that they may have caused. "Secondhand Surgery" uses guitar effects and production to raise the song's simple riffing to a dramatic new level, a technique that the band seems to have perfected. Jay Forrest's vocals combine the gut-wrenching emotional delivery of Tim Kasher with more technically accomplished range and execution. "East Of 1989; Battle Of The Bay" is a partly Dredg-esque tune that showcases both his ability and his restraint. The album might run a little long from here, but it's hard to fault the band for supplying more solid tunes than they needed to. Bottom Line: Hopesfall have successfully made the seamless transition from a melodic metalcore/hardcore/emo/etc. act nearly ten years ago into an extremely talented modern rock act. Magnetic North is just as good as the band's previous releases, if not better, and fans who have stuck with the band won't have a problem embracing the band's latest step forward. Alternately, for those unfamiliar with the band, it's not a bad starting point as it is certainly their most mature effort to date in terms of songwriting, performance and production. If you're ready for something a bit less aggressive to fulfill your quota of "catchy," pick up Magnetic North.

Filled with melody, angst and a vision for something deeper is "Magnetic North," the latest release by Trustkill's own Hopesfall. This time, the band finds themselves experimenting a lot more and in turn finding a more focused direction. This disc is an artistic step up from 2004's "A-Types," so diverse it's bound to find new fans of all different types as well as appeasing the originals. In variance to its own name, 'Magnetic North' actually goes in multiple directions in terms of style and influence. There's elements of emo, post-hardcore and even some additional instrumentation, such as the piano backer on track 3 "Cubic Zirkonias are Forever." The songs change within themselves also, with track 5 "Secondhand Surgery" starting off heavy but changing to a softer melody with some choice drum work. The album closer "Paisley" is a slow emotional dirge, a fitting epilogue to "Magnetic North" that holds the listener gently as the disc wraps itself up. So if you're looking for some real emotions in a dark and strange place and like a band who tries to raise the bar, set your controls for "Magnetic North." It's the intent of a band to make changes is what you take from this disc - a sense of purpose set to music, a portrait of a young group with a lot on their plate. Go check out what they have to offer.

This was a very highly anticipated album for me. I’ve been following the band way back into their Frailty of Words days and it’s been interesting to catalog their changes over the years. But the changes are just, the band is getting slightly older, there are no original members, etc. Things of that nature will change the way a band sounds. After Satellite Years Jay Forrest (vocalist) changed his vocals a lot, trying not scream as much on A Types, but Magnetic North revisits some of the Satellite Years era Hopesfall. And somewhere in the mix, Jay’s screaming vocals started to sound an awful lot like Chino of Deftones fame. I won’t knock them at all, I’m a huge fan of both Deftones and Hopesfall. To attempt to corral Hopesfall into a description would be a little difficult, as they have a tendancy to bounce all over the place. They found their roots in the hardcore scene, as Frailty of Words, No Wings to Speak Of and Satellite Years are albums that are absolute classics and must haves for any fan of melodic hardcore. But they’ve ventured away from that a bit after guitarist Dustin Nadler (previously of Saved by Grace) joined the band. They went the rock route a little bit, and I have to say it’s working pretty well for them. While I viewed A Types as a sort of transitional album, Magnetic North is a total aural assault. They’ve embraced the rock sound entirely, and learned how to tweak and modify it to include their roots in melodic hardcore as well as their members’ influences. It’s really impressive when you get down to it, having the confidence and knowledge to write rock songs that are mainstream enough to get radio airplay but still have a feeling of being an independent band and attractive to kids in the minor markets as well. It’s a highwire act writing music like this; either you walk the thin line or you fall to your inevitable death. The rock/hardcore crossover bands fail 90% of the time. However, no one has told Hopesfall this, or they’ve given Hopesfall an 8 foot wide bridge instead of a wire, as they can’t seem to do anything wrong. If you’ve never heard them before, I would suggest rushing out right now and purchasing as many of their albums as you can find. I assure you that you’ll find them to be pleasing.

After casting off the label of being a Christian Hardcore a few albums back with ‘The Satellite Years’ and then wandering into the realms of softness with ‘A Types’ with the addition of Dustin Nadler (Ex-Saved By Grace) who brought a more Rock influence to the band. Hopesfall have now come back around again with their marriage of aggressiveness and melody. After another shuffle of the line up, former Dead Poetic and Verdera touring drummer Jason Trabue and Mike Tyson taking on Bass now join original founding member and Guitarist Joshua Brigham and Vocalist Jay Forrest. ‘Magnetic North’ sees the band return to the aggressive yet melodic sound of ‘The Satellite Years’, Hopesfall have managed to stick to their hardcore roots yet successfully include the rock influences of their newer members. Rock, hardcore crossovers don’t always come off as well as some bands might hope, but luckily for Hopesfall they have pulled it off. Jay Forrest as been moving away from his screaming style that was heavily relied on during ‘A Types’ and has now taken on an almost Darryl Palumbo like singing style. It’s nice to see a band that can constantly evolve throughout their career rather than just recycling the same blueprint over and over. Taking the more rock sound they explored on ‘A Types’ Hopesfall has now blossomed into an almost Deftones like sound paired with the intensity of Glassjaw and opener ‘Rx Contender The Pretender’ sounds like something Chino and Carpenter could of penned for ‘White Pony’. Producer Mike Watts, who has previously worked with As Cities Burn and As Tall as Lions, has done a superb job of bringing this album to life and has captured the intensity of the bands performance perfectly. Showcasing more of the bands diverse influences is ‘East of 1989; Battle Of the Bay’, one of the lighter tracks of the album which displays slight hints of Indie, something which peers it’s head now and again throughout. Another of the indie inspired tracks is ‘Secondhand Surgery’ with it’s heavily effects driven intro riff and slow yet driving bass line. Hopesfall are certainly not giving up the fight and becoming just another Melodic Hardcore band that is just going to ride the wagon till it veers off a sharp bend into oblivion. ‘Magnetic North’ displays a band that still has plenty to offer with never a dull moment, on top of that it’s a worthy addition to what is turning out to be an already pretty solid back catalogue, it seems this band can do no wrong.

My first impression upon hearing the leadoff track from Hopesfall’s latest offering, Magnetic North, was that it sounded like the Deftones mixed with Glassjaw…but out in the deepest reaches of space. I think that’s a fair assessment and it holds true for most of the record. I was and still am a huge fan of Hopesfall’s first Trustkill full-length, The Satellite Years, so, naturally, I anxiously awaited the release of the follow-up, A-Types, a few years back. And I was severely disappointed with that record. The album stripped their sound of most of its aggression and replaced it with an ill-conceived attempt at catchy melodies. Well, have no fear this time around; Hopesfall are back with an epic album filled with equal parts heaviness and beauty while adding a nice dose of atmosphere to the mix. The most important thing to point out in regards to this record is the vocal performance of lead singer Jay Forrest; he really puts on a hell of a show. Just jump from the end of opener “Rx Contender the Pretender” to track four, “I can do this on an Island” for an example of Forrest’s excellent range in regards to his inflection and presentation; he may not hit the high notes which are all the rage these days, but he can present his words and voice in so many forms. From strangled screams to huge, floating melodies to a darker crooning style reminiscent of stoner rock masters Vision of Disorder, Forrest is able to sell the desperation and seclusion that the sound and lyrics on this album seem to embody. He also seems to have skipped trying to pen catchy melodies this time around, opting for a more honest sound that finds its foundation in the group’s heavier sides coupled with their utilization of effects and reverb. But, of course, a lead singer is nothing without his band… …and the other selling points on this record are the guitars and the huge, open space the band is able to create. Often steeped in multiple effects courtesy of the flawless production by Mike Watts, the guitars bounce from delicate, clean-tone passages to absolutely massive tones, adding layer upon layer to the atmospheric bricks already laid in the rhythm and bass tracks. Listening to this album conjures images of glacial canyons, deep underwater exploration, or massive spans of desert.; everything about this record screams isolation. Hopesfall have gone for - and achieved - a wide open sound that should translate perfectly to the stage; I know I can’t wait to see them now. I was only slightly surprised by this return to form; The Satellite Years was too good of a record to be a fluke and now that the band has purged itself of the need to catch ears, they have reemerged, wielding the crushing sonic weight of yet another new sound for them, one that I hope they stick with.

Like most critics, I'm skeptical of band/release biographies, but HOPESFALL vocalist Jay Forrest speaks the truth when he opines to the bio writer, “People loved the last album but I think this new one is more intense, bigger tones, it’s trippier but not purely ethereal. There’s a lot of weight and heavy parts as well.” On the group's third full-length for Trustkill, HOPESFALL's deftly-crafted sound continues its evolution from metallic, emotional hardcore leanings into something sternly technical, thunderous and moving, but without simple genre classification. To some degree, HOPESFALL has embraced its HUM affection more than ever, but Magnetic North's lush, stirring power inches the band towards DEFTONES territory. Unlike Satellite Years and A-Types, Forrest seems to have adopted a more commanding presence across Magnetic North's thirteen songs. This element shouldn't go unnoticed - Forrest (and his Daryl Palumbo-ish voice) has to routinely fight for attention between the charged guitar playing and syrupy bass and percussion. The fact that he can shove around the band's rhythm section in the ordinary course of HOPESFALL's activities makes his near-solo act on "I Can Do This On And Island," all the more intense. "East of 1989: Battle of the Bay," pins Forrest with a strange, chilly English accent for much of the song but then the tune molts into a full-blown, multi-layered guitar liftoff. The "shooting-star" atmospherics continue on "Bird Flu," which is the album's signature track - the soft-to-loud dynamic blueprint for everything that makes HOPESFALL a unique and noteworthy band. "Now with more weight!" might not be a recommended slogan for lemon meringue pie, but it advertisers Magnetic North perfectly. Fortunately for the band, the extra bulk is fat free.

EPIC ROCKERS STILL HOLDING STRONG. WHILE MANY of the original breed of post-hardcore have faded away into obscurity, Hopesfall are one of the few bands to sill plough on. But from debut 'The Frailty Of Words' through to this, their fourth album, there's been a very definite change, The quintet have evolved; initially it seems to be easier on the ears- the screaming is much less prominent for a start. But tracks like 'Bird Flu' and Secondhand Surgery' reveal their depth a little more with each listen through intertwining guitar lines, and Jay Forrest's impassioned vocals come to the fore. Intelligent, thoughtful music for those who want something more than a quick fix.

'Magnetic North', the new album from post hardcore/emo band Hopesfall sounds more like it should have Chevelle's name on it. They've obviously changed since their early days on Trustkill, putting out records like 'The Satellite Years', that were more of a cross between the screamo stylings Underoath had going on at the time, mixed in with a more eclectic style of extended instrumental passages throughout. 'Magnetic North', however, is nothing like that. Album opener "Rx Contender The Pretender" could easily be in any commercial rock radio station's regular rotation, and it won't be a huge surprise if this album ends up being the one that breaks this band and brings some sort of mainstream acceptance. While there are still moments where the band showcase a tendency to lean toward less trendy semi Tool inspired instrumental breaks (about the halfway point of "Swamp Kittens"), the pop structure of the songs will help get radio play, and a video ending up on regular rotation on MTV wouldn't be much of a surprise either. "Cubic Zirkonias Are Forever" adds an interesting twist to things, as vocalist Jay Forrest comes off sounding like The Cure's Robert Smith. The song doesn't sound too much like anything a band like The Cure might be inclined to put out, but Jay makes no bones about carrying on throughout the song in his best imitation, or possibly homage to a potential influence. "I Can Do This On An Island" comes off with that soft vocal style, and big melodic chorus, very much in the vein of Dashboard Confessional. Though Jay doesn't actually sound completely like Chris Carrabba, he comes pretty damn close to it during said choruses. Throughout the remainder of the track, he comes off sounding once again like Robert Smith as well Pete Loeffler. "Vacation/Add/Vacation!" is so catchy it seems almost as if it was written specifically with radio and TRL in mind, replete with memorable, sing-along chorus and the typical three and a half minute running time. The album's title track, as well as "The Canon" are the only signature Hopesfall instrumental tracks on the entire album. Bottom Line: Hopesfall seem to have their sights set on attaining some degree of commercial success with their latest release, 'Magnetic North'. And while it's common knowledge that any band's dream is to be able to live solely off their music, it's also a potential make or break decision when considering the core fanbase of a band that had more independent beginnings. The positive side of this is that 'Magnetic North' has all the potential necessary to take Hopesfall to the next level of commercial/mainstream acceptance. The songwriting and more rock oriented style of the music, mixed with the right promotion will surely garner them a single or two on major rock radio. Taking cues from any or all of the aforementioned bands may be the best thing for Hopesfall in regards to business decisions and taking things to another level commercially. Whether or not the band's current fanbase will accept the musical direction they've taken and contnue to follow the band remains to be seen.

Single-handedly striving to revitalize the nation's space program -- every Hopesfall tune sounds especially at home under a canopy of pitch black twinkled starry -- Hopesfall keeps floating further and further into space-rock-breathing post-hardcore. Channeling Hum's edgy, ambient punch more so than efforts past, and with a progressively diminishing hints at Hopesfall's hardcore history, Magnetic North updates an impressive metamorphosis from scream-and-mosh to increasingly refined and nuanced nod-and-bob. Screams are still sprinkled sparsely, but the emotion here is channeled less into such overtly aggressive expressions, pulsing instead through dense atmospheric tones and lush, sung vocals. The guitars, when not embarking on characteristically mesmerizing space-rock tangents, are thick and chunky, and riffs take unexpected stabs upward, rockets soaring to space; the drums hit hard and heavy, each epic kick and crash reverberating like John Henry's last; and the bass is the omnipresent glue behind Magnetic North's full sound, crawling and quivering like an alien symbiote. Every listen unearths new appreciations. The delicate piano that paces 'Cubic Zirconias Are Forever'; the monster rock-riff that explodes three-minutes into 'Swamp Kittens'; the I'm-singing-underwater vocal-distortions and Helmet-esque churning guitar late in 'Secondhand Surgery'; and 'Vacation/Add/Vacation!'s searing, headphone-demanding dual-guitar magic and panning. Since The Satellite Years Hopesfall has alienated the ardent mosh-pit militia, but only simpletons who've been punched in the head one too many times still deride the band's expansive evolution.

For almost a decade, Hopesfall has been bending and breaking down the walls of conceived notions about hardcore and has even changed their sound and line up to do it. Going from being a Christian band to not, and getting major press for their several genre shifting albums, Hopesfall has been at the forefront of modern melodic hardcore for some time now. After playing musical chairs with their members and getting a solid line up they began writing and recording their new album "Magnetic North" which looks to, once again, keep them ahead of the game. Right from start, I recognize the art style of Chandler Owen, who has been their cover artist for all of their albums, and the calm vast feel that the cover sends off, which mirrors their style to a T. Their music has reached a point at which it seems to feed off of spatial elegance with screams and vocals that spit out with so much passion. Soaring anthems that feature guitars that tap along in untamed fashion is common ground. The have taken their grungy rock from "A-Types" and morphed it into an almost Deftones like explosion of energy and echoed sound. The production is also top notch, but I don't expect any less from Mike Watts and what I'm sure was a great collaboration between him and the band. The hyper guitars energize and excite the sound with melodic displays of complex and intricate riffs. Searching shouts and ambient white noise seems to be in the background of ever song, adding to the effect of these incredible efforts. There are even relaxed songs that dip in ever so often and blanket an empty canvas with coats of guitar work like a new fallen snow. It also seems that echoing guitars are a driving force in the album, seeing that in almost every song, we are privy to ethereal fret work that ripples through our ears like a rock in a tranquil pond. It also seems that as the album goes on, more and more serene sections of music slowly take over the more rampant grungy counterparts. A hard-hitting "Swamp Kittens" allows for a silly title to mean so much more with commanding guitars that team with solid shouts and strenuous screams. Their more concentrated hardcore foundation is slowly uprooting their more hard punk days (That's a good thing). As possibly one of the best lighter songs on the album, "East Of 1989; Battle Of The Bay" provides an epic sound that could last for ages. Its indie tendencies along with bright lyrics provide quite a remember able experience of reverberating guitars and blissful vocals. And acting as a good book end for the album, "Paisley" is a lengthy reminder of why "Magnetic North" is so impacting and thorough. Its slow progression, phasing guitars, and heavenly vocals knit themselves into a design of magnificence. What a significant change I must say. I really love both of the genres of melodic hardcore and melodic indie, so the switch between the two was a treat for me. A more mature sound possibly? Maybe, but either way, Hopesfall has reinvented the way we listen to melodic music. Their vigorous hard work and vital sound are amazing in both, their hard and soft style. And their echoing ambient atmosphere seems to craft instant epic songs each time. If you are into melodic hardcore that combos with resonance based indie, then this is what you have been waiting for. You can't be mad at a band for changing their sound, and as I can tell from this album, its a magnet that still draws me to it every time.