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Recently, record label Basement Records took “Strength Behind Tears” under its wing. People who are hoping to find some modest emo rock music, definitely will be disappointed. “Strength Behind Tears” is a modern American hardcore band from Southern California. After a few song recordings, some touring and the set up of a solid fanbase, the lads are ready to astonish the world with their screamo hardcore release “Bridges Between Us”. Will they outgrow the local frontiers? I believe so.
Let us be honest: “Strength Behind Tears” is a pretty silly band name. It does not fit into the hardcore scène. Maybe that’s a statement of the band, or maybe this is a proof of creativity or non-conformist behaviour. To me it is just the wrong strategy. Yet, I won’t give a damn if the music is alright.
The explosive “November Tenth” opens the album and reveals a promising start. The aggressive power reminds of muscular metalcore, with tons of mathcore dashes. Precise rhythms and loud guitar work create some heavy parts and the screams are just marvellous. The clean vocals are a bit dull, but the song remains insane. Track three “Rise Up” is very enjoyable. However, the harsh core parts are intensive, but the dissonance should be more chaotic, in my opinion. The song is too accessible. But the changes in pace are not that subtle, and that’s just the way it should be! It suits me! Post-hardcore influences and punk are just around the corner. The tracks on “Bridges Between Us” are sharp and the brutal tone is never persistent: the field of tension is surprisingly capricious. These young musicians maintain a perfect balance. Songs four “A New Hope” and five “In The Beginning” have this intensity and atmosphere. The most notable song on the screamo hardcore album however is track six “On Your Back Or On Your Feet”: fast, energetic, condensed and calibrated. The musical performance is pretty fine. Still it sometimes lacks originality in melody (I would like to have some parts to be played faster or more technical) or vocal parts, e.g. the pale song “In These Times Of Hatred”.
“Bridges Between Us” is the first full length album of the American modern hardcore band “Strength Behind Tears”, and it shows the potential of the band. “Strength Behind Tears” guides the listener towards a refreshing musical experience. But the power of “Bridges Between Us” is the fact that fans of different hardcore genres will find a variety of parts on this release they fancy. This is food for people who like a broad taste, from Glassjaw, Modern Life Is War and Underoath, to The Refused, Converge and Poison The Well, et cetera. This hardcore adventure is sharp and sensitive, harsh and honest. - Corazine
Hardcore power. Hardcore energy. Hardcore headbanging. Hardcore fuck you to all the assholes out there. WTF am I yakkin' about? It's another assault of heavy audio blows from Basement Records as Strength Behind Tears lets "Bridges Between Us" out of its cage. Behold as a record with the right fuckin' name comes atcha, a CD that explores with no apology the gaps of misunderstanding and subsequent social violence that exist with human beings. Take heed of this band whose name is utterly appropriate - for here is an artist that delves into the realm of anger and pain and angst with a not-backing-down ethos that puts many to shame. Hop in and get your head bashed with some painful observations on our culture via the pounding brainfuck of hard-as-hell musical exploding. - Punknews.org
Hailing from the Orange County hardcore scene, Strength Behind Tears has landed a spot on the Basement roster. “Bridges Between Us” is the name of their full-length debut and to call the band’s music pissed off is like calling Amy Winehouse a slightly less than stable person. With a drummer that keeps pounding away, brutal chugga chugga parts alongside melodic riffs and a vocalist that sounds like he caught some nasty infection on his last trip to Thailand, these guys are ready to get the crowds going. Their brand of screamo with some dissonant parts before diving into yet another breakdown might get a little repetitive after a couple of songs but these dudes bring so much energy to the table that I’ll gladly forgive them their lack of originality. Check ‘em out on their summer tour if you get the chance, it should be quite the spectacle! - Punk Rock Theory.com
Strength Behind Tears is a rather new band coming from Orange County that just released their debut full length album on Basement Records. Up to now the band has made a Us tour and some shows abroad while has shared the stage with an amazing range of bands like Undying, Scars Of Tomorrow and The Hoods.
From a quick listen someone would easily categorize this band as metalcore but if you listen more carefully you¢d see that their music goes a bit beyond the genre¢s clichés. There are some more technical parts inhere and also some parts that are clearly based on punk rock. They do have melodic choruses, offered in a nice way, fortunately not too poppy. The production kind of reminds me of bands like 7 Angels 7 Plagues, Misery Signals and old Shai Hulud.
For a debut release this is really promising and shows a band which has the potential to stand out from the overcrowded metalcore wave that has gotten so bit nowadays. If they evolve the small things that differentiate them from the mass, they seem they¢ll survive the waves fall. - Save Your Scene
Discography
"Bridges Between Us" (2007)
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Bio
Emerging from the heart of the Orange County hardcore scene, Strength Behind Tears has been at the cusp of musical progression since their conception. Don't be fooled, Strength Behind Tears is no ordinary "hardcore" band. Each member of the group brings their own unique influences into the mix to ensure a sound unlike that of any other traditional hardcore band. While the notable heavy guitars, thundering bass, blistering drums and angst driven vocals are in place, it's the breakdowns, harmonies, thought provoking lyrics and well thought out instrumental parts that take these songs and this band into a direction that could be crossed over into any number of other genres.
If the music doesnt speak for itself then Strength Behind Tears have made sure to always place themselves a cut above the rest when it comes to their stage presence and high energy performance every time they play. They have shared the stage with such national acts as: Scars Of Tomorrow, Death Star, Undying, If Hope Dies, Animosity, The Hoods, The Program, As Hope Dies and many more. Willing and able to play at any and all costs they have spent the last couple of years filling gigs and tours with all genres of bands and building a fan base that most bands would take a lifetime to acheive. Having done a national tour in the Summer of 2006 as well as venturing into Mexico to
an overwhelming respose. Strength Behind Tears signed with Basement Records in December 2006 and have embarked on a spring tour to wet the
appetite of their growing fanbase in anticipation of their debut full length "Bridges Between Us".
Having completed the new 10 track disc, a full summer tour and numerous other activites (recently landing a sponsorship from Nephlam clothing) 2007is sure to be a busy year. The band recently finished shooting their first music video for the song "On Your Back Or On Your Feet" Strength Behind Tears is completely devoted to the music they create and those who take time to listen.
You will not find a band as passionate or devoted to what they do as Strength Behind Tears.
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