Underground hardcore’s rising stars Last Witness’ electric new album Mourning After is like having four shades knocked out of you – and I mean that in a good way.

Last Witness is a five piece hardcore band from London.  Their unique blend of hardcore and metalcore takes some of the best elements from the two genres and brings them together in a perfect collision. With Mourning After the blend is more apparent than their last two albums Give Up and An Unfinished Life. The hardcore swagger, vocals, down tuned bass, string bends and snare drums are still apparent but now there are more breakdowns, double foot pedals and twin guitar harmonies which many people associate with metalcore.

The album’s first song The Void erupts like a volcano of fury. The song begins with faded guitars playing in the background until lead singer Theo spits “I can’t go back!” and the song crashes like a wave. Exorcism and Love is a Vampire drip with rage and are two of the heaviest songs on the record.  Disappear takes the band back to their hardcore roots with a fast opening riff and beatdown style verse and chorus. This song was written for mosh pits. Pan-Am Smiles is by far the stand out song on the album. The blend of the two genres is most apparent here with all the different techniques from the genres making an appearance at some point.  Somnambulism, Magnolia and Marionette bring the album to a close with incredible fury and pace, literally not giving the listener a break. Chill out music this ain’t.

Mourning After is an angry, spitting, ball of rage and a spectacular album. One of the best albums of 2012 by far. If you like hardcore then you really don’t know what you’re missing. The perfect blending of genres would give so many bands that claim to be both a lesson. I give this album 9 out of 10. I would recommend it to anyone because it’s an absolute banger.

For Fans of: Your Demise, Bastions, Brutality Will Prevail

Listen to: The Void, Disappear, Pan-Am Smiles

Cheers to Michelle, Rockhaq and Holy Roar Records for hooking me up with this album.