A review I wrote for Music Funtime Show’s web site.
I enter this review as a long time fan of hed pe. I recall the thrill of seeing them live on the Jaegermeister tour (alongside the rather disappointing-live Saliva). I was broken in on Broke, which was responsible for a lot of mainstream explosion for the group.
This album marks half of the band’s album career on the independent Suburban Noize Records. I’ve talked from the start about the difference in style from this newfound freedom since they made that move from the major label situation for their first four albums. Truth Rising feels like a perfection of the styles expanded on in the three previous independent albums. My first feel of this album was how listenable and solid it was the whole way through. Partly harkening back to the days of Broke that I still spin to this day. On the bonus CD included with my copy, Skull & Bones, Jered actually discusses about how they didn’t limit their song styles and let the intros happen. Some may not like the expanded intros, like my colleague on Music Funtime, but I enjoy the narrative that hed pe is attempting to put out there. This bonus CD adds to that even more to clarify the message that Jered’s put out there for four albums now, on the internet, and in interviews.
Some of that throwback sound tat surprised me was Lajon Witherspoon of Sevendust on the track “Stand Up”. The elements of punk rock and hip hop are present, almost as if by sections on the album, and not quite as jarring as in past releases to go from track to track.
Altogether, one of the best, solid releases from hed pe since their earlier major label days. This band is further proving the Suburban Noize move was a good one for their longevity.
You can find more on this album in our first “head to head” review between Chachi and myself on Music Funtime Show 25.