Hot Water Music (HWM) are punk rock royalty with 30 years under their belt, the Floridian legends having now been joined by Chris Cresswell of Flatliners, the band have all the appeal of The Draft and Dead To Me as they continue to meld hardcore punk with emo and post-hardcore with their ninth studio album ‘Feel the Void’.
From a really soft start, ‘Feel the Void’ develops into a tuneful album that is quick of pace as a solid rhythm section anchors this album in place allowing for gravelly vocals and a triple guitar attack providing harmonies and heaps of noughties nostalgia. By this point in their career, HWM have a formula which works, and they have nothing to prove to anyone, tracks such as ‘Turn the Dial’ and ‘Killing Time’ hammer out themes of perseverance and resolution and are real highlights as it batters out impressive, anthemic punk. This cohesive style really allows for ‘Feel the Void’ to a back-to-back approach whilst listening as it raises the listeners spirit through pure experience and adroitness whilst making the whole thing look so damned simple!
‘Feel the Void’ is not a massive evolution from the past albums and success of HWM; but if its not broke, don’t fix it right? This is a great album full of determination and grit showing that HWM still have heat and the temperature is definitely rising.
