aaamusic | On 28, Oct 2012

I like post-hardcore. A lot. However, I have become quite picky about my post-hardcore – a predictable result of the oversaturation of the scene. There are too many post-hardcore bands, and it’s hard to find bands that bring something new to the subgenre. The Hickey Underworld are the best new post-hardcore band I’ve heard in some time. I say new, because they are new to me, however ‘I’m Under The House, I’m Dying’ is the second full length from this Belgian four-piece.

More streamlined and complete than their debut, The Hickey Underworld’s new album is brimming with interesting quirks – part grunge, part At The Drive In post-hardcore, and part math rock. Opener ‘Untitled’ is jangly post-hardcore in the vein of Cloud Nothings, melodic guitars and a screamed chorus, while single ‘The Frog’ is a brooding alt-rock number with excellent bass work and distorted guitars. The band sometime verge on riff-heavy stoner rock a la Queens Of The Stone Age, such as on ‘Whistling’, and songs such as ‘Space Barrio’ sound like Cave In at their most accessible. There is some excellent guitar work on offer here, which often verges on prog-rock (and has thus drawn the band comparisons with acts such as The Mars Volta – although they don’t really sound anything like that bats**t crazy relative of At The Drive In). For example, ‘Year Of The Rat’ has both a rocking primary riff and complementing, math rock noodlings. The guitar work of this album is among the best I’ve heard from any post-hardcore band, ever.

When The Hickey Underworld slow things down, such as on ballad ‘Martian’s Cave’ or ‘Pure Hearts In Mud’, the grungy alt-rock influences shine through – influences such as early Smashing Pumpkins and even Alice In Chains. Younes Faltakh vocals are pretty much perfect for a band of this nature – he can scream and yelp, sing cleanly, and has a pretty convincing grunge groan. His screaming, yelping, singing and groaning are perhaps best showcased on the closing title track; the album highlight. Heavy hitting yet accessible, much like the rest of the album. An exceptional album by an exceptional new band.

★★★★★

Clive Rozario