Since hitting the scene with a monstrous demo, Folsom have kept themselves busy with a full-length, couple of EP releases, and sporadic touring. The Las Vegas hardcore group return with LP number two, which follows up their 2008 EP, Neon Light Nights. Folsom continue to churn out punishing metallic hardcore that mixes in a little bit of the beatdown flavor as well as some oi/punk.
After a sample from country musician/poet Townes Van Zandt is layered over an intro, its business as usual for Folsom. "Waves of Sorrow" sets the tone for the entirety of Hammer Lane with its rumbling bass, the rolling thunder of the drums, and chugging riffs. The title-track, which follows, boasts just as heavy a sound and has some killer breakdowns, which are a Folsom mainstay.
"Better Days" draws from a different pool. It has a mixture of oi, punk, and hardcore, which reminds me a lot of what Death Before Dishonor has been doing lately. We hear this sound again on "Looking Good (And Being Scene)." These songs provide enough variation to give the album a little breathing room, but do not detract from the flow of the songs.
What Folsom does best is hard-hitting breakdown-laden hardcore, and there is plenty of that here. But, unlike their earlier recordings the band has toned things down just a bit. They still follow a Merauder/Hatebreed/Cold as Life school of thought, but are more calculated in their placement of the breakdowns. This may mean fewer chances to dance, but when you do, it's most definitely on. Even the most reserved individuals can't help themselves from dancing from time to time and Folsom provide an excellent soundtrack for that.
Lyrically, vocalist Stu spreads his musings between a number of subjects tackling hardcore, ones place in society, blue-collar life, and relationships. But unlike most artists, he makes a point to not sugarcoat anything; the honesty gives it a lot of credibility, as opposed to many hardcore bands with their faux-intellectual writings and attempts at being deep-minded. Plus there are nods to Bruce Springsteen and The Rolling Stones in Stu's lyrics and that rules.
With Folsom, you get what you get. If you came here looking for anything other than hard-hitting metallic hardcore, you're barking up the wrong tree. Folsom aren't trying to do anything new, they're just a bunch of guys that love hardcore and will probably play it until the day they die. I still prefer the band's demo and self-titled full-length, but this full-length easily trumps the last couple of EPs.
