Hearts Under Fire

Hearts Under Fire have been on the verge of becoming your new favourite punk act for a few years now, but a number of obstacles have kept them from taking that next step up. Bass player Mary O'Regan more than fills the shoes of former frontgirl Sian Sanderson, and the band have ramped up the quality since their last release. Packaged in an envelope, Letters is an EP of catchy punk that's Rise Against with less politics and more energy, a sound that's so easy to like it's led to them support bands as diverse as You Me At Six and Gay For Johnny Depp.

Three of these tracks bristle with potential, but 'It's Not Me, It's You' blows everything the band have done before right out of the water. A riot of fiery energy, force and melody, it's not only the catchiest song of the year so far, but arguably one of its finest. It's a bit unfair that this one song makes the other three pale in comparison, as they're more than competent, with 'Light My Way's Distillers-esque attitude making it another highlight. Their formula is one that's tried and tested, but the quality of these songs is undeniable. It's about time this gutsy, determined band took it to the next level, and this EP more than justifies that. - Phill May @ Rockmidgets.com

I saw this young all girl band play during last year’s summer and despite some enforced line-up changes since, the band has maintained a similar hard rocking melodic punk sound which I first heard. What appealed to me at the time, live at least, was that they didn’t enforce stereotypes; an all-girl band could easily invoke pop punk nightmares, but they are far more diverse and with solid vocals to boot, not the usual screeching or raspy sound so many female fronted bands have within the loose genre of punk rock.

The opening track ‘Liquid Luck’ is a good number with the guitars and tempo changes dictating the song. The four track EP is impassioned and melodic and without doubt the pending first single “It’s Not Me, It’s You” is the highlight. The faster drum intro and the gang vocals supporting the lead on the chorus add a good layer to the whole sound. It’s catchy, simple and driving and the slower tempo towards the end could be avoided but the straining vocals and power of the final chorus saves the song for a big finale. ‘Light My Way’ again has a good chorus but it suffers from a lack of deviation in build up and the guitars sound a bit too similar. The final song ‘Animal’ is arguably the second best on the EP; again the band proving they know how to write catchy melodic songs with break tempos building up the songs and releasing energy at the right moments.

The soaring driving guitars and solo’s (Nicky Day and Steph Forrow) on this EP with the nice blend of pace and power (maturity too belying their age) is all pulled together by the great vocals of Mary O’Regan but the engine room steadily maintained by Lexi Clark. If anything the EP at times lacks some aggression and I think the backup vocals/gang vocal approach could be used with more regularity but again it’s a tick in the right column for the band’s evolution. - http://www.distortedmagazine.com

All-female punk group Hearts Under Fire return with 'Letters' and it's more of the same impressive punk rock that they have established despite a few line-up changes. 'Liquid Luck' quickly shows they are enable to get the right balance of fierce guitars and melodic vocals, although it sounds pretty average.

'It's Not Me, It's You' is lively and shows a bit of variation and their use of harmonies in the chorus especially show this and are favourable. Whilst 'Light My Way' manage to keep up the momentum, as they stay to their musical beliefs and become something they are not. 'Animals' may seem pretty forgettable but it keeps the EP's tempo and shows off the bands skill in a good light.

On face value you think Hearts Under Fire are just four Hayley Williams wannabes but theyu're anything but that, as they have the musicianship and songs to go far. 'Letters' could be the first step towards better things. - Alter The Press

Hearts Under Fire are now on their third(?) release with their third different line-up. After Nicky joined the band for EP number two to bolster the guitars, Sian has since left the band and Mary has taken over lead vocals. For those who have followed the band for a while now, the latest incarnation isn't that different in sound from the earlier material. Everything is probably that bit more melodic and less aggressive; Mary's vocals probably have a smoother edge and I think the new material works well to show that off.

'Liquid Luck' is a good start with some big sounding guitars, but it's first single 'It's Not Me, It's You' that really kicks things off. The vocals are strained and passionate in a very good way and the chorus is the catchiest the band have written. It's a well written song and well put together. Thumbs up for using gang vocals as well as it helps the song flow that bit better. This EP is well worth checking out for that song alone. 'Light My Way' doesn't quite work as well and the vocals seem to suffer slightly, although 'Animals' is a return to form at the EP's end.

The band are always going to get publicity as an all-girl punk band, but if they can keep the same line-up and keep the consistency they'll only go on to bigger and better things in the future based on the merits of their music and not their gender. - Punktastic