Album Review: Heroes For Hire - 'Take One For The Team'

Sydney's Heroes For Hire spent the majority of 2010 touring the country with some pretty well known bands before heading over to Baltimore to record 'Take One For The Team,' their second album. Recorded with Paul Leavitt (All Time Low, Circa Survive), the large amounts of money that this no doubt cost were well spent, as the band have released a quality sounding album that can sit comfortably next to any big name American pop-punk release.

As for the content, it's pop-punk, what do you expect? Power chord driven riffs, infectious melodies, high-pitched vocals, relationship themed vocals and fast drumming. The band offer nothing new to the genre but perform it very well.

It would be easy here to slip into an argument about whether or not this genre is even relevant anymore, or if this band has caught the bus a little too late, but the thing about this record is it kinda doesn't matter. The music is fun, well recorded and well written and serves as a reminder of what it is we all enjoyed about pop-punk at some point in our lives. Don't lie, you liked it at some point, just like you enjoyed nu-metal once upon a time as well.

The opener, 'No Milk Will Ever Be Our Milk,' is energetic, full of catchy vocal lines and is a powerful way to begin. One of the highlights follows with 'All Messed Up,' a simple stripped back song that lets the All Time Low influenced vocal lines and melodies, which drive the song, shine.

'Doonside High School Football Rules,' is a fast paced punk track that leads into another standout,'Secrets, Lies And Sins,' another harmony heavy track with a strong chorus and great dynamics. The record ends with 'Before I Die,' another faced paced punk track that has some heavier, more aggressive tones than the rest of the album, one last burst of energy before fin.

There are probably plenty of reasons to hate this band, the commercial elements, the fact they will be touring with Short Stack, the blatant American pop-punk rip-offs, and the fact that the one time I saw them live they totally sucked, but it can't be denied that as far as pop-punk goes, this is probably the best Australian release on offer.

1. No Milk Will Ever Be Our Milk

2. All Messed Up

3. You Only Live Once

4. Doonside High School Football Rules

5. Secrets, Lies And Sins

6. That's Not Flying, It's Falling With Style

7. East Coast Blazin'

8. It's Not Too Late

9. A Crash Course In Comedowns

10. The World For You

11. Keep Me Safe

12. Before I Die