Australia’s Hands Like Houses has truly found an amazing and progressive sound that is sure to attract fans of the hard rock scene in their new album “Dissonants.”
This is the post-hardcore band’s third full-length album, and it is a tribute to their unique and progressive sound. The band has seen widespread success, participating in Warped Tour in 2013 and 2015 where they played with bands such as All That Remains, Sleeping With Sirens, The Amity Affliction and Beartooth.
Hands Like Houses takes inspiration from many forms of modern rock, including post-hardcore, hard rock, metalcore and alt-rock.
Lead singer Trenton Woodley has a powerful voice with a great range. He is able to adapt seamlessly between lower, soft tunes and higher, more vigorous notes, and he is even able to keep pitch while screaming at the top of his lungs. Guitarists Matt “Coops” Cooper and Alexander Pearson weave a fascinating texture of melody and harmony, while bassist Joel Tyrrell and drummer Matt Parkitney drive a grooving beat.
The album starts with “I Am,” a powerful rock anthem with an engaging melody and upbeat tempo. “I Am” is about being different and standing above the rest. It is a charge to actually make a difference by what is said and done rather than feeding on the fame without making any difference.
Hands Like Houses certainly has the potential to make a difference as they gain popularity from their thrilling talent. This song balances perfectly the interplay between soft melody notes backed with heavy tones and a captivating chorus. This song is not the only gem in their album.
“Perspectives” opens with an etheric electronic riff, which is then drowned by a heavy distorted guitar riff. “Perspectives” builds from softer verses into a brooding and heavy chorus.
It is full of anger, frustration and a longing to be understood as the voice behind the song opens up about failing to get someone to see from their perspective. The voice is tired of being put down as crazy but realizes it is futile to get their audience to see the truth. This song definitely dips into the hard rock/metalcore scene to express the emotion of the subject matter, and it is very befitting of the band’s sound.
Next on the album is “Colourblind” which opens in a mix of hard rock and electronic very similar to the sound of Bring Me the Horizon. This song is a challenge to live life in all of its colorful experiences instead of being stuck in the “black and white.”
True to the bands method of sampling different sounds, “Colourblind” says to see and sample many different ways of thinking and living. The song itself features a fantastic, head-nod inducing beat.
The bridge transitions seamlessly from the introspective verses to the lively chorus, conveying the transition from seeing the narrowness of ones view to opening the mind to new ideas.
“New Romantics” speeds up the tempo and energizes the verses. Bassist Joel Tyrrell really shines through in this song, giving the melody a snapping, grooving rhythm. The song focuses on finding a way to express oneself in a new way.
The man remains the same, but the energy reflects on the release of trying to re-center and find the words that show true emotion in light of what has already been said. It is about “digging deeper” to reveal the true self inside.
In this light, the song may also reflect the band finding a truly amazing sound as they explore different inspirations and emotions. “New Romantics” has a bright harmony and a bold melody with an inspiring tone.
“Dissonants” is filled with both heavy and lighter songs, and all are enjoyable and engaging to listen to for hours on end. It explores both human emotions and interaction, and different mixes of many rock genres.