H2O

F.T.T.W. (Epitaph)
by Tim Den

H2O has been getting better, I’ll give ’em that. Sticking by their “unity” ideology, light-hearted melodic tendencies (ala old 7 Seconds), and overall fun/energetic vibe, their records have been getting better and better. While songs like “One Life, One Chance” and “Guilty By Association” could be some of the most cheese-less hardcore songs written in the last few years, others like “Fading” and “On Your Feet” see the band really venturing into actual vocal lines, almost bordering on pop-punk ala Pennywise.

Needless to say, it’s a huge improvement from their grotesquely clichéd self-titled debut. And, of course, covering a timeless tune like “Not Just Boys Fun” helps, too. I can almost see them overcoming the “every song sounds the same” syndrome and come out with something that really kick ass in the future. Almost. Now if they could only shed the rock star poses and their shout-outs-to-every-band-we’re-friends-with (which goes hand-in-hand with the let’s-have-every-single-hardcore-celebrity-do-guest-appearances-so-we-can-look-cool) crap…
(2798 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026)