Violence

Not much can prepare your poor eardrums for the onslaught of Tear Out the Heart's debut album on Victory Records, Violence. “Dead by Dawn” warms up like a motorcycle engine. Once it gets going, each member of this metalcore quintet fires like individual pistons operating one giant motor of metal. Tyler Konersman’s grumbling growls and howls provide a nice contrast to bassist Isaac Etter’s melodic crooning. But when Etter steps away from the mic and joins forces with drummer Matt Epstein, songs like the standout “Infamous Last Words” separate TOTH from its legions of metalcore peers. Even when the band downshifts its tempos in “Crucified,” there’s a well-oiled ebb and flow between Etter and Epstein that plays with superhuman tightness. This balances out brilliantly with the band’s skill at writing emotive melodies and grappling pop hooks. Caleb Shomo from the band Beartooth makes a vocal cameo in “Undead Anthem”: a horror-rock epic that rocks like two demons battling it out.