It has been brought to my attention in recent months that across the vast oceans that border us, there is a world of metal seemingly unheard by the citizens of our great country. We have been so caught up in our own scene, searching the states for the next big thing, that we have overlooked an ever-growing hardcore scene next door in the UK that is absolutely on fire. Here lately, our neighbors to the east have introduced me to a couple of bands I might have never discovered if I wasn’t a part of this site. Needless to say, I find myself more often now expanding my search horizons overseas and everyday I stumble on more and more young bands carving their way to the top. The newest edition to my library of newcomers would be Worcester, UK’s own Dividing The Line with their debut album At Least It’s Not Light. The five piece hardcore project opened shop in 2006 and are well on track to become a force to be reckoned with in the scene.

I don’t want to get ahead of myself here and blow too much smoke, but when it comes to hardcore, I tend to get drawn into music that offers me a little something different – a sound that really stands out. There’s so many bands out there doing the same thing, that eventually it all runs together until you don’t know who’s doing what. Don’t get me wrong, I was definitely able to get into to the sound that Dividing The Line is offering, I just can’t help but ask myself “What are they bringing to the table?”

Well, for starters, Dean Hickton’s roar is finely tuned and powerful enough to fill your grandma’s diapers with a quickness. The crooning of Jack Hughes offers a pleasant contrast to the grittiness Dean is throwing at us; and his synth work might just be the defining quality in this album that really sets it apart from the rest of the music being tossed our way.

So let’s get into the album. The first song that really caught my ear was their single “Ticking Boxes.” This track comes at you with some strong leads, slaughtering riffs, and a solid hook. Dean’s growl is menacingly magnificent throughout, which brings it all together nicely. A good choice for a single, I must say. “The Albatross” is a catchy little tune as well. This track is much heavier on the melody, especially in the vocals but that’s not a problem for me. “The Man With No Tongue” starts off a little slow, but if you hang around I promise you the teeth come out. The breakdown is plenty merciless enough to get your toes tapping, while the synth and drum work at the end really add some pizazz to the song.

Their closer “Why the Whales Came…” opens with some nice synth work, and the clean and dirty vocals throughout really set this track off. It’s captivating, but callous, and the guitar work is steadfast and catchy.

On a whole, I found Dividing The Line to be a decent little find and quite enjoyed At Least It’s Not Light. Their transitions between mellow and heavy throughout the record give it a nice balance. The synth work and electronics add a sense of progression to their sound, which should help them carve into the hardcore scene nicely. Maybe even find a home in the new scene of trance-core, although I don’t believe them to be heavy enough on the electronics to find a home there. Fans of Blessthefall and We Came as Romans might find this album to their liking, so give it a shot. They definitely deserve a spin or two.

4.0/5