Hundredth - Free

Hundredth's Third Album Is Their Most Direct, Hard Hitting Record To Date

South Carolina's Hundredth are back with their third album 'Free', this album follows 2011's amazing 'Let It Go' which features powerful tracks like 'Weathered Town' and 'Live Today', tracks like these really capture the core of Hundredth's heavy, melodic hardcore style whilst also using the lyrics to convey their morals of humanity and equality. In 2013 and 14 the band released the 'Resist' [2014] and 'Revolt' [2013] EP's, two very solid releases, 'Revolt' being the strongest of the releases with the sinister, shredding opener 'Ruin' and the more up-tempo, war cry like 'Free Mind / Open Spirit'. Both of these EP's saw Hundredth turn up the melodic elements and, 'Resist' especially, didn't hold back on the aggressive, protest like lyrics, especially on final track 'Wage'.

With 'Free', Hundredth have managed to blend the raw power from their first two albums and the increased focus on melodic influences from 2013 and 2014's EP's to create what is nothing less than a hard hitting masterpiece of a record. Right from the opening interlude '///' into lead single 'Unravel'. "Free" packs a punch straight off the bat, 'Unravel' immediately pulls you in with vocalist Chadwick Johnson's eerily compelling screamed and sung vocals in the chorus. Track 3 'Inside Out' is a classic Hundredth song with rapid, loud drums, guitars from Andrew Minervini and Blake Hardman which will no doubt cause many mosh pits throughout future gigs, and Johnson once again with the deeply immersive lyrics yelled with so much fury, proving one again that he is without a doubt one of current hardcore's best vocalists. 'Break Free' is also a very speedy, self hating track much like 'Inside Out', but doesn't offer anything more than the opening tracks do.

The next highlight on this album for me is 'Isolation' which is a prime example of Hundredth's blend of influences from their EP's and the raw power from the first two albums, there are some very impressive changes of tempo throughout the track, which also manages to present Hundredth's heavier, hardcore side. "Beggar" reminds me of very early Architects material, especially their 2007 album 'Ruin', Johnson's vocals are utterly throat ripping and so gripping, Hutchinson's drumming never fails to give throughout the whole record, in fact this album really brings out the bands pure raw skill and very clearly demonstrates how this already mature from the start band have managed to continue on this path to almost perfection. 'Burdens' is a perfect album closer, and this is definitely bassist John Paul Gressman's finest moment, his bass cuts through during this songs opening and just adds another layer to Hundredth's sound, Johnson opens this track with more lower, shouted vocals, over Hutchinson's almost tribal-like, hypnotic opening drumming, this builds into Hundredth's classic loud and fast mix of riffs and drums, and allows for plenty of breakdown friendly moments all until the inevitable climax of this epic album.

'Free' might just be one of the, if not the best hardcore album of this year, Hundredth constantly strive to improve and mature their sound, and this album is no short of a success.

9/10

/ MELODIC HARDCORE /

FAV TRACKS: Unravel - Isolation - Beggar - Reach - Burdens -

LEAST FAV TRACKS: - Delusion -