Review / 200 Words Or Less
Defiant Hearts
Arlington

6131 (2007) Michael

Defiant Hearts – Arlington cover artwork
Defiant Hearts – Arlington — 6131, 2007

Massachusetts has pretty much been a breeding ground for hardcore bands since

well

hardcore started. Defiant Hearts is yet another in the long line of bands to come from the state, and they're armed with a new record.

From the get-go of Arlington with "Ghost" it is quite evident what kind of a record you are in for. "Ghost" is a fast-paced tune that draws from the likes of Dag Nasty and Gorilla Biscuits, but freshens it up with a heavier and more aggressive modern hardcore twist ala Comeback Kid and Verse. Defiant Hearts continues its aural assault with an arsenal of melodic hardcore. The music is upbeat and never really seems to take its foot off the pedal, constantly flooring it from start to finish. Defiant Hearts do pay homage to their influences with a hidden cover of Rites of Springs' "For Want Of," which they do an admiral job covering.

Arlington knows it target market and pretty much sticks to that realm. With a little more tinkering I feel they could really blow up and become one of the bigger bands in the hardcore music scene.

7.0 / 10Michael • March 3, 2008

Defiant Hearts – Arlington cover artwork
Defiant Hearts – Arlington — 6131, 2007

Related news

6131 Signs Defiant Hearts

Posted in Labels on December 11, 2006

Recently-posted album reviews

Lethal Limits

Elevate EP
GhettoBlaster Productions (2025)

The archival hunt for the "missing links" of first-wave California punk usually leads through a trail of grainy handbill Xeroxes and tape traders' overdubbed copies. But with The Flyboys, the story has always been a bit more elegant—and a lot more colourful. Long before they were swept into the gravity of the Hollywood scene, frontman John Curry was already performing … Read more

The S.E.T.

Self Evident Truth
Flatspot Records (2026)

Hardcore doesn’t need reinventing; just needs conviction. On Self Evident Truth, Baltimore’s The S.E.T. come out swinging with a debut EP that’s built on exactly that. It’s got groove, urgency, and a clear sense of purpose. Clocking in at around fifteen minutes, the EP wastes no time establishing its identity. From the opening moments of “This Chain,” it’s all forward … Read more

Dashed

Self Titled
Independent (2026)

When a band describes themselves as surf punk, it usually conjures a certain image. Reverb drenched guitars, sunburnt melodies, maybe even a sense of looseness that leans more carefree than chaotic. Dashed doesn’t really fit that mold. On their self-titled LP, they take those familiar elements and run them through something colder, sharper, and far less predictable. Across eleven tracks, … Read more