HEART IN HAND is a band that I've followed for quite some time. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a 'die hard' fan of the group and I'll admit I haven't heard everything they've released, but somehow they have still managed to forge a connection with me and I'm not sure how. It could be down to the time back in 2012 when I came off stage at a wonderfully grimy venue in Glasgow to find their name scrawled in black ink above the urinals; and incidentally thought it was the coolest thing ever that my band had played the same venue as them. It could be that they originated in Southampton where I now live. But if I were to take a more educated guess, I would put it down to their perfect blend of hardcore roots and spacey melodies still speaking to me in the same way it did when I was 16. This melodic hardcore sound sparks nostalgia whilst also being completely involving and entertaining, soothingly calm and aggressively uplifting.

Their latest record "A Beautiful White" pays no exception to this and is their most musically advanced work to date. This album shows a band that has matured into their sound, they are entirely convincing with what they play, as though every layer of each song is there for a reason. Soft flowing guitar melodies with excellent tone fill out the mix whilst making it feel completely weightless, this combined with punchy hardcore stabs capable of orchestrating chaos results in bringing intensity to their music, an atmospheric buzz. Charlie Holmes emotive cries suit the scene perfectly as his harsh tone reflects pain but remains entirely legible throughout. As far as the genre goes, I'd say they've all but nailed it.

Title track "A Beautiful White" is a perfect example, opening with a spacey sound that bounces out of the speakers before the group descend into their more abrasive roots, blasting out a riff almost relatable to the works of underground kings FEED THE RHINO. A personal favourite is "New Years Eve", its raw and pop punk influenced with a very up-pace and energetic feeling throughout. This track really gives Ollie Wilson and Ed Hartwell a chance to prove their worth both as performers and writers as the guitar licks and riff placing remain flawless throughout. As for a standout track my vote goes to "Crying Shame", an absolute banger of a tune is HEART IN HAND at their most diverse, chopping and changing from the pretty to crushingly heavy in a heartbeat with an excellently catchy chorus; their heavier side relatable to IN HEARTS WAKE here. I don't know whether to flail my arms in madness or rent a small boat and have a lovely day out on a lake.

It's a sound that's hard to forget. Infectious in a way that once you hear it it's in your head for a long time afterwards, and that is totally fine.

After listening to this album I can honestly say that HEART IN HAND are a great band. They've matured with their genre and scene and at the minute they're absolutely crushing it. Getting better with time it's definite that their next release is one to watch out for, but for now simply enjoy "A Beautiful White" as it's a great record that deserves your attention. If you like melodic metal, you like HEART IN HAND.<