“Foothills”
from the album Socialize
2006
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Download an MP3 of “Foothills” from Suicide Squeeze Records
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The history of Metal Hearts is as unusual as it is short — the Baltimore-based duo is the brainchild of former high school enemies, from what their bio says. Anar Badalov and Flora Wolpert-Checknoff, ages 18 and 19, respectively, had made music together before heading off to college, and once finding campus life apart from one another to be too artistically straining, the pair moved back to Baltimore to enact a series of events that eventually led to a record deal with the Suicide Squeeze label and a debut record, Socialize.
Dabbling in some awkward brand of experimental rock, the duo pulls off the delivery of a solid freshman (no pun intended) album. Rickety-sounding programmed drums elope with Badalov’s and Wolpert-Checknoff’s spare, whispery vocals, often making comparisons to Cat Power relevant. The slow, somber tracks (which most all are) can drone on, though some degree of variance will arise before a song becomes too cumbersome
Guest musician Greg Bortnichak lends the occasional cello to the mix, earning the record some points and giving the songs an even more melancholy air. The most satisfying aspect of the record, though, is realizing the talent these youngsters have — and how those skills will translate to future records, whether it be as Metal Hearts or not.
Socialize might put you to sleep at some points, but it’s a predominantly enchanting and impressive record to come from anyone, much less two musicians who can’t legally guzzle a beer. The album might be dreary and dark in some aspects, but Metal Hearts’ future is nothing less than bright and promising, and Socialize is a good first step.