STICK TO YOUR GUNS

STICK TO YOUR GUNS got their start in 2003, and since then, they've developed a reputation for brutally heavy hardcore music with a deep message. That trend continues on their latest album, "Keep Planting Flowers", and this time, there's a definite punk character to their music that's stronger than it has been in the past.

The album begins with a truthism in the song "We All Die Anyway". This album couldn't start out heavier, as the song offers guttural, death metal screams amid head-spinning guitars and pounding rhythms. While "We All Die Anyway" is one wall of sound, the album's next song, "Spineless", has different layers. It starts out with sharp, sky-high guitar riffing, followed by a guitar breakdown and then is quickly followed up by a dark, moody bass guitar section, before Jesse Barnett screams and shouts around the 40-second mark. As the song kicks into high gear with a galloping rhythm, it evolves into a hardcore punk anthem, which makes sense, because guitarist Josh James has said he's been listening to a lot of CRO-MAGS lately.

As "Keep Planting Flowers" continues, something that really stands out are the breakdowns, each incredibly heavy in nature and none of them the same. "Invisible Rain" and "Who Needs Who" fall into that category, the latter which features TERROR's Jesse and Scott Vogel.

One of the album's highlights is the soaring "Severed Forever", which brings an added boost of melody to the album. Here, the song starts out similar to the other tracks, with heavy guitars and shouting, but the chorus makes it stand apart, with Barnett's melodic, high-pitched vocals and a strong guitar riffing. That melodic character doesn't last long, though, because heading back into the verses, this song becomes another rousing shout-fest.

The album's title track is another special song that's a bit unexpected. Here, the guitars are light and ethereal, while Barnett passionately screams in the distance, which makes for an interesting dichotomy. Eventually, the instruments kick into an atmospheric hardcore anthem. It's really a magical-sounding song.

"Keep Planting Flowers" shows off both STICK TO YOUR GUNS' musicality and their old-school, lo-fi delivery, which makes this an empowering listen from front to back. It recalls the great hardcore and even punk bands of decades ago while still staying fresh and new.