Her Name Echoes are an energetic rock band from the depths of Arizona. Bringing their debut album ‘Cyclic’ into the world, Her Name Echoes show just what they have to offer.
Opening track ‘Innocence’ isn’t a crazy fast paced opener, yet it gives a sense of strong energy with a good beat whilst being catchy at the same time. This is one of the tracks off the album that shows thepost-hardcore elements of the album. Moving on to second track ‘Trapped Inside’, the track at first does get a bit lost in comparison to the opener. The song shows clear vocals, lyrics alongside Her Name Echoes’ sound of their electronic rock mix.
Flatline, the second single on the album and certainly a stand out track on the album. This song has a little twist as it builds up to the chorus, almost cutting off when you would assume it would keep building up. This adds a pleasantly surprising twist to the song and makes it a little different to the rest. Stockholm Syndrome, once again another stand out track. Bringing back the use of different vocal styles, backing vocals and . There is a lot going on in this track from vocals to instruments everywhere, yet the track doesn’t sound cluttered, giving it a good depth when listening.
Moving on to the latter side of ‘Cyclic’, ‘On Your Own’ does sound similar as a whole to the other tracks on the album. The song has great angst filled lyrics, a catchy chorus and great emotion. However, it does appear that occasionally the emotional side in the vocals does fall behind slightly but the track still remains strong. ‘Island’ starts off with a heavy fade in vibe and maintains it through the song. ‘Island’ is one of the heavier tracks on the album and shows power and emotion from start to finish all the way up to closing track ‘Ultraviolet’.
A fitting closing track is a key part of an album, yet many bands forget its importance. Through ‘Ultraviolet’ we see a similar style to the rest of the album, which is expected. However, Her Name Echoes make good use of the ending by finishing on a calming instrumental outro, leaving a good lasting effect and an excellent close to the album.
For a debut album, this album has its fair share of little hiccups, but the large majority of the album is truly something that represents Her Name Echoes. Mixing conventions from the post-hardcore, alternative and electronica, the band has a distinct sound that will get them far in the future.
Rating: 9/10
Recommended songs: Flatline, Stockholm Syndrome
EUPHORIA OF BREAKDOWN 