Have No Heroes – Letters To Nowhere CD (Blackstarfoundation)

A parcel from Blackstarfoundation arrived a couple of days ago carrying a highly anticipated release by Have No Heroes, a Latvian melodic punk rock quartet. Both label and the band are no strangers to these pages. Blackstarfoundation is responsible for some of the crucial melodic punk rock releases by Swedish greats Atlas Losing Grip and Enemy Alliance, impressive Hungarian bands The Idoru and This Calling, British punk rockers Fights & Fires, and many more. There’s nothing but love and respect for this label. Have No Heroes released their critically acclaimed debut full-length, Plastic World, which carries dozen of anthemic melodic punk rock bangers. The band also unleashed a couple of singles, such as Divide And Conquer and Better Way. They are probably one of the best contemporary punk rock bands you’ll find in Eastern Europe.

Their brand new release, Letters To Nowhere, continues at the same pace as their debut album. This band knows how to write, compose, produce and record energetic tunes that vividly resemble early nineties melodic hardcore and skate punk greats. Their love for the bands who released albums on Epitaph, Fat Wreck, and Nitro is notable from scratch to finish. It seems like renowned greats like Pennywise inspired them to play this style the most. Still, there is some resemblance with Swedish groups, such as No Fun At Al or Adhesive, so their sound represents a double win situation. It’s nearly impossible not to love this style if you’re profoundly into melodic punk rock. Have No Heroes touches that sweet spot between late eighties hardcore punk and early nineties skate punk sound.

Maybe we’re talking about a melodic punk rock band, but Have No Heroes are not only interested in mellow-sounding music. Quite the contrary, excellent harmonies, and melodies lurk above while tight riffs, robust basslines, and heavy drumming provide more than necessary support. The band knows how to balance these qualities without spoiling the primary direction, dynamics, heaviness, or melodic aspect. Letters To Nowhere offers a pleasant listening experience that not so many albums carry nowadays. Have No Heroes are not interested in delivering ultimately complicated guitar parts, low-end tones, or rhythmic maneuvers. They’re going with the flow and let the energy carry them along the way. Just like the bands tend to do in the good old days. That’s the reason why this album retains the attention from beginning to end. Letters To Nowhere comes on all streaming platforms, compact disc, and vinyl. I highly advise you to purchase vinyl because you will dearly hold this piece of plastic in your collection. Head over to Blackstarfoundation for more information about ordering.