Headfury make up for a slight lack of originality with sheer power and conviction in their debut EP A New World.
A 3-piece hard-rock outfit with its roots in Johannesburg, Headfury’s sound is based heavily on acts like Breaking Benjamin and Alter Bridge with catchy riffs, pounding drums, and bleeding-heart lyrics defining A New World.
“Paleface” opens the album and immediately takes one back to a time of angsty, self-indulgent emotional turmoil. From the jump you know exactly where things are headed as an irritable, impatient riff is balanced out with mournful strings. Right on cue lead-vocalist Gideon Kretschmer’s voice screams out from the ether and takes us on a pissed-off journey through the societal injustices of our world.
Songs like “Phantom Lover” and “Icarus” provide a quick break from the politics but not from the emo-cheese as they deal with trauma-triggered inner demons and finding redemption in reckless abandon before “Monterrey” brings things back down to earth.
While Headfury’s debut offering might come across as a nostalgia trip at first there’s an earnestness in the way they express themselves that makes A New World deserving of a couple of listens.
