Customer Reviews

I Am Hollywood

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Pigeonholing this record in with mere hardcore is an insult to potential listeners. Calling it plain old stereotypical hard rock is even more insulting. Why? Well, if I didn't know any better, I might mistake the opening of "Eating a Book" for a lost Van Halen riff. "Domestica"-era Cursive forms the basis for "The Creature Walks." Santana's body double for the night steps in on "Dinner With a Gypsy," my personal favorite, which features rubbery, singing guitar passages that go on and on to the rapt delight of anyone within earshot. These are only three songs. With influences so radically different from one another, it's hard to go wrong, assuming the execution is up to par. It is. He Is Legend mesh the aforementioned sounds into their own brand of hellish, chaotic rock.

About the only common element all ten of these songs share is volume, volume and more volume. Unless you're used to getting the senior citizens discount from the Thursday afternoon matinee, this shouldn't be a bad thing.

However, it is a bit tacky the way in which He Is Legend insist on "tacking on" bits of hardcore thrash to the ends of most of the songs on this record. The title track -- a clunky exercise in shiftless musical drama -- is coincidentally the most influenced by hardcore of the ten cuts here: a dissonant car wreck with eponymous lyrics that cryptically describe a bizarre kidnapping and ransom.

For the most part, though, the number of worthy moments outweigh the bordering-on-unlistenable ones by a fairly large margin. Worth a look for something not quite the norm in the realm of hard rock.

First off, I'm an older former rock guitarist that does good just to play the radio these days. I still really enjoy many different genres of music but am not easily impressed with much of today's music. I've seen just about everybody that was anybody in concert over the years. I used to think that real rock music died sometime around 1980 or so. I'm beginning to realize that it didn't die after all, just changed.

My son is a budding guitar wizard and brings in lots of different music for me to listen to, much that seems to lack talent. First it was emo, then screamo. Twas hard for me to distinguish between bands and a lot of them sounded the same on the surface. Then along comes 'He Is Legend'. WOW! Heavy duty music with a brilliant vocalist. I've just never heard anything like them before. A bit of Southern Rock reminiscent of 38 Special slamming right into Norma Jean. Although the lyrics occasionally seem non-sensical, the way it's put together is pure genius.

They stand out very much between all of the other bands that run the gauntlet out there today. So much that earlier in the week we drove over 300 miles from NE TN to Atlanta, GA to see them at the Masquerade and were not disappointed in the least. They put on a killer show and faithfully played their fairly complex stuff live to a packed house that just couldn't get enough of them. We really enjoyed them and got to talk to some of them afterwards and they are really nice guys, even the over-the-top headstanding/crowd surfing/shaking-his-butt singer Schuylar Crooms. They are a "Must See" act if you get the chance. Buy this album, you will not regret it!!! Intelligent, very capable musicians and singers are not that common in this age of Rap/Crap. HIL needs to flourish as an inspiration for future generations of musicians and music lovers. 'He Is Legend' is truly worthy of being called a legendary band.

This cd is one of the best rock albums to come out this year. Not only does it have those rocking fast songs that get your blood pumping and mak you wanna jump out of your car and just windmill, and ground punch till the cows comehome, but it has some more chill songs so you can just sit back and relax. My only recomendation is to listen to a song, if you like it BUY IT NOW, if you dont like it, LISTEN TO ANOTHER AND THEN BUY IT NOW!!!!!!!

He is legend spawns from my home state which made me kind of worried whenever I first heard about them for the fact that there's not too many bands I care for from N.C (except for Codeseven, Ben Folds and Hopesfall)..I am Hollywood really shows some amazing progression for music from North Carolina. Every song is so vastly different and as musicians..they all are extremely talented. To be honest with you, I have no complaints with this album..it's one of the finest albums I've ever heard.

Yeah, right. This album, much to my surprise, has become one of my favorites over time. The music is actually different for once--not laden with unnecessary breakdowns that a 13 year old taking lessons could execute. This album has melody. The vocals are extremely enjoyable--his range is very diverse--from sing-along to metal grunts, he does it all. I'd venture to say that this is what Every Time I Die SHOULD sound like. Yeah, I said it.

This album is incredible. The lyrics are creative and different, and very powerful. The Music is also great, and really performed well. If you are a fan of GOOD MUSIC, then go pick this cd up. Or you can be lame and listen to crap like disturbed...yeah...not a hard decision.

He Is Legend, I Am Hollywood isn't an amazing album, but it's pretty good. He Is Legend is very original, and i don't see how someone could disagree. I would consider it to be post-hardcore, the screaming is short but sweet. Overall this is a very bizarre, unique band. I'm not sure what this album is all about because it's a pretty deep theme, with a lot of imagery and strange dream-like lyrics. I Am Hollywood is a well put together album and deserves a chance, I see no reasons to hate this band so it's either a "like it" or "love it" situation.

xx

I'm proud to say He Is Legend is from my hometown of Wilmington, North Carolina. I've been a loyal fan of them since they were a Hardcore/Metal band called The Uriah Omen. They were great. But this album is amazing. I love it. I purchased it back in december and have not taken out of my cd player yet. And I'm telling the truth about that. Haha, this album has everything a music lover could want. Hardcore metal riffs, crazy solos, ambience, great singing, it is incredibly unique. Some of my favorite songs on this album are The Seduction, The Creature Walks, Best In Mexico, China White, These Walls Have Teeth, Do You Think I'm Pretty?, and of course the best song on this cd that never gets old, I AM HOLLYWOOD!! WATCH WHERE YOU POINT YOUR FINGER, I AM HOLLYWOOD, YOU BETTER REMEMBER!!! Ha, you gotta love it. If you're a fan of Showbread, The Blood Brothers, and bands like them, this cd needs to be in your collection. I also recommend 91025. That is also a great album. And keep on the lookout for The Mile After, a great band that is also out of Wilmington, NC. They just got signed to Rushmore Records. Sister label to Drive Thru. God Bless

He Is Legend is so talented it's scary. Freakish. After their truly awesome EP, they follow it up with an LP that has a little something for everyone. Schuyler is quite possibly the best vocalist in underground music today, with everything from emo sounding clean vocals, korn-esque nu-metal, high pitched death screams and not quite gutteral growls. The guitarists don't disappoint either, they rip through every song showcasing some of the best and most diverse axe work I've ever heard on one record.

1. I am Hollywood (10/10) What better way to start it out than some down home hardcore punking? Heck yes, He Is Legend covers all the bases here with brutal metal, shout-punk, hardcore riffing and some stoner rock.

2. Eating a Book (10/10) This song starts out in a way that would make you think it belonged on a pop/rock station... and then Schuyler starts screaming and well... there goes that charade.

3. The Creature Walks (10/10) This is a multilayered masterpiece, with great solo-ing, massive riffing, screaming, clean vocals, growling, and all around chaos. Magnificent.

4. The Greatest actor alive... (8/10) Good song, leads up to the next one rather well. Chaos at the end as usual.

5. China White (10/10) Has everything you want. Ambience, good old rocking, and then a hardcore chaotic ending.

6. Best in Mexico... (9/10) This song is really good, showcasing metal and hard rock, with of course, the metal/hxc stuff coming at the end.

7. The Walls have Teeth (10/10) Multilayered, hardcore and rock, nice laid back feel, though at the end it gets gritty.

8. Do you think I'm pretty? (9/10) Sketchy and comic lyrics, hardcore riffing amidst modern rock.

9. Dinner With a Gypsy (10/10) Santana-esqu intro. Good song. I love this one. Long instrumentals.

10. I am Hollywood (10/10) Finally, the hardest and best song on the album. Norma Jean like breakdowns abound with lots of metal yet lots of punk.

BUY THIS FREAKING ALBUM!

Once I listened through a few of the songs, I was completely hooked to HIL. I've always been a rock fan, but will really listen to anything that floats my boat, which HIL most definately does. I love the way the singer can switch from melody to metal, then back again like he it was nothing. The music is constantly switching, but not in a way that distracts you from the rest of the song, it only adds to the experience. Definately recomend this for at least a listen through.