Myrtle Beach hardcore outfit Hundredth fit the bill perfectly in terms of what a hardcore band should be. They provide listeners with sing-along hardcore, interspersed with the ever prevalent political rhetoric that permeates the scene. Hundredth even go a step further with proceeds from their sales going towards Charity Water, a thought provoking, tech-savvy American NGO. They do exactly what they say on the proverbial tin and they are not afraid to stick to their guns for what they believe in.
Their latest LP ‘Free’ portrays a sentiment displayed on their merchandise for the past few years, a concept of de-shackling from the monotone, freedom from the powers that be and celebrating the self and looks to position them as one of the big hitters in the scene. Opening track ‘///’ provides a gentler meandering into the hardcore norm displayed in ‘Unravel’, Chadwick Johnson’s vocals sounding big. The song has a catchy chorus where he shouts “just to watch me unravel” and it is clear they have invested in different mics and recording equipment for this release, the sound more polished and professional.
‘Inside out’ provides a faster introduction that will please those that like the more edgy side to their back catalogue and ‘Break Free’ has a meaty drum beat, which perfectly accompanies the raspy scream of Johnson, him screaming “don’t you fucking test me”, before a cacophony of guitars and drums akin to their previous work, which will satisfy their following. ‘Beggar’ launches amid thoughts that there is not a huge range of diversity in this release with the vocals, guitar and drums all sounding very similar form track to track.
‘Delusion’ offers a stronger guitar section and the song builds up nicely to a different style chug that will have shoulders loosening up as arms swing around in true hardcore fashion, before the intro to ‘Burdens’ ends the album with a moodier tone, the inevitable stylistic hardcore breakdown that Hundredth can now call their own finishing off the release. It’s not that it’s not good; it’s just that variety doesn’t seem to be the spice of Hundredth’s life.
A preview statement of the album said “Hundredth have mastered the art of giving the listener exactly what they want” and to be fair, this is true. They have released a safe album that ticks all the boxes. There are riffs to enjoy among the pit; there are waves of melodic guitar, echoed vocals and catchy choruses to sing your heart out to. But it does feel like the album has come up short, and ‘Unravel’ is really the only song that stands out from the rest in terms of providing a truly memorable moment that doesn’t just blur into the rest of the record.
For a fan of hardcore, ‘Free’ sounds too safe and it is fair to say they could have been much bolder. For a scene that looks to push the boundaries of people’s thoughts and feelings and for a band that is so hard hitting in its discourse, it’s a shame that Hundredth haven’t tried to break the mould more and indeed be ‘free’.
DAVE BULL