Foreign Hands have been catching some attention with their smaller releases over the last few years, and What’s Left Unsaid marks their first full-length album. With a sound that beckons back to the early vibes of the metallic hardcore and metalcore scene (think more Vision of Disorder than Killswitch Engage), there’s been a growing number of bands recently that have been successfully tapping into this energy and spirit. So what makes Foreign Hands different from the rest?
While there is a slight case of first album ‘influences on the sleeve,’ in this case the aforementioned Vision of Disorder, Poison, the Well, Converge, and Misery Signals, but there’s still enough venom and modern trimmings that those sort of things can be minimized, especially on a debut. What does stand out is the sheer metallic hardcore energy that Foreign Hands brings into each track. There’s a sense of controlled chaos in songs like “God Under Fingernails,” where a dark and ominous atmosphere merges with urgent thrash-influenced riffing and harsh, barked vocals, and a punishing breakdown later on. “Horror Domain” also captures that parallel between some bleak atmosphere and frantic riffing, and swings into more melodic territory (and vocals) without it sounding out of place or disjointed. That moodiness is augmented in later cut “Shapeless in the Dark” with it’s slow build-up and emphasis on eerie melodies more so than vicious riffing.
So outside of the darker atmosphere, the band does grasp how to manage themselves in providing some crushing breakdown moments that feel earned, alongside the frenetic rush of thrashing riffs. “Until the Sun Fades” manages to pull off both sides of that coin, with a slowed, bruising section of riffs with a more melodic component emerging from the rubble. “Laceration Wings” has the likely candidate for most massive breakdown on the release, with grooving, elephant stomp riffs bringing the song into a devastating ending.
Incorporating the more visceral side of the earlier hardcore/metalcore scene and bringing it into an area of moody darkness, Foreign Hands finds themselves standing hand in hand with compatriots in Boundaries and Dying Wish. There’s been no better time for a metalcore revival, and Foreign Hands are doing their part to make sure fans get a taste of nostalgia while still upping it to a level that feels fitting for our modern age. What’s Left Unsaid is haunting, abrasive, and has just enough melody to keep you invested from beginning to end.