Songs to Scream at the Sun

Have Heart | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 8, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Bridge Nine Records
• ASIN: B0019MKAU8
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #70,957 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant as the sun and screaming at its rays, January 14, 2009

By 

Alex Faber (Northern NJ United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Songs to Scream at the Sun (Audio CD)

It took me a little while to get into this album, but repeated listenings allowed the melancholic guitar chords to permeate and drove me to read the lyrics while listening again, and at that point I was stunned by the depth and cogency of Patrick Flynn's words. Over the course of the album, Patrick screams at the world about recurring themes of having a weak father figure, one in which every heated and hateful word between him and you is still merely coating on an unbreakable foundation of love, of being sold social ideas of acceptance and familial bonds that prove to never be as real as they seem, and ruminations on the nature of relationships in general and love itself and the various forms it can take in songs like "On That Bird In The Cage," which openly hearkens back to Maya Angelou, and "Bostons," wherein Patrick creates a stark but still poetic picture of growing up in Boston and the anguish of helplessly watching someone you care about fall apart. And, bookending all of this, the sibling songs of "The Same Son" and "The Same Sun," in which Patrick turns his critical gaze upon himself, questioning the importance of his own hurt when there are those still much less fortunate, all of this without ever becoming didactic.

This amazingly textured and vital message is carried on layers of merciless, no-frills hardcore. The album is short (10 songs in 20 minutes) and the first track simmers for a while before the guitars begin pounding away at the listener, only for the song to stop after a minute, acclimating you to what promises to be a brief but powerful listen. Have Heart don't disappoint here - they've quickly become one of hardcore's most beloved bands, and the ferocity of the music proves they've earned it. One after the next, the songs pulverize, modulating a bit in the tuneful "No Roses, No Skies" (a tribute to Edith Plath) and becoming introspective in the mostly instrumental "Reflections" only to kick back in for the last two tracks, especially the closer, "The Same Sun," into which the entire band puts their all.

For an album this affecting, the artwork is fitting, starting with the boy in the cover (is he screaming or crying? Does it matter?) to the clean layout inside, with the lyrics to each song married to an appropriate photo that typically will show images of what was and what could have been, of times now buried by changes and pain.

Stylistically, this album is perfect, and Patrick's lyrics and vocals are astounding: he takes the exaggerated pathos of Trent Reznor and the intellect of Greg Graffin and melds them perfectly to create what's honestly a form of poetry here, with no pretensions and no hyperbole, but rather an affecting portrait of himself, his family, his friends, and his city; all of this while tossing out references to other musicians like Joni Mitchell, writers like Maya Angelou, and even the Bible, taking Lazarus and the tale of the prodigal son and weaving them into pain still tinged with enduring optimism.

The only reason this doesn't get 5 stars is due to the music: while its angry driving force is completely appropriate and as good as any modern hardcore music, this is clearly not just another hardcore band, and the more abstract "Reflections" and fusion of melody and brute force in "No Roses, No Skies" seem to hint more towards what the band could be if they were to expand more on the hardcore blueprint in the future. Still, the album is a deeply satisfying listen on every front and deserves to be heard. Thanks for reading.

5.0 out of 5 stars Aggressive and Uplifting., February 7, 2012

By 

Andylion - See all my reviews

This review is from: Songs to Scream at the Sun (Audio CD)

This is hardcore done right. The music is aggressive, and the lyrics are uplifting and self-motivating. Even if you aren't "straight-edge" there is still a lot of value to be had in this record. It is really something special.

4.0 out of 5 stars This is a great album, January 20, 2010

By 

Eric M. Bordner "The Instrumental Music Mistro" (Myrtle Beach) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Songs to Scream at the Sun (Audio CD)

Seriously I collect music its what I do so believe me when I say Have Heart's Songs to Scream at the Sun hits home with creative ways to play hardcore and even have lyrics that extend beyond EDGE UP !! and drug free since 93!. If you are looking for a cd with easy chants then this isnt your cd, however if you love hardcore that makes you think then definatly open up the lyric book sit down on your first listen and just read along with this beautiful work of art. The only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is becuase i wish the cd was a bit longer but i guess Have Heart is a hardcore band and you kinda are expected to get a 21 min album. Songs I would recommend - no roses no skies , Bostons , hard bark on the family tree, the same sun.