I wouldn’t say I was completely au fait with every Bridge 9 release, but I may have to start checking out their back catalogue if Have Heart is the calibre of the famous hardcore label’s roster. ‘The Things We Carry’ is a Bane-influenced, harder edged Set Your Goals-style record that pummels from the word go and barely offers any respite. The throaty, aggressive screams and backing gang vocals sound top notch throughout, and while not as overtly poppy as SYG, there’s still a semblance of a melody here. So while the guitars are a-ringing and the screams a-screaming, you can pump your fist in time with the machine-gun drums whether your a hardcore fan or simply quite enjoy New Found Glory.
And while I don’t consider Have Heart to have the impact of a Set Your Goals, the chances are that if you like that kind of band you will enjoy this record too. For a debut album this is something that will surely have both hardcore and pop-punk kids singing, screaming and punching the air with excitement for many months to come. It’s fun, fast, frenetic and damn fine –
and well worth checking out.