Album Review :
theLionhearted - Absolution (& Redemption)

It’s always interesting to hear artists re-record their older songs. Copeland has done it, Emery has done it, Car Seat Headrest has done it. But in the case of theLionhearted, this album is not so much a reimaging but a perfecting of songs that have become staples over the past few years. Mastermind Richie Pete Ares took these seven tracks and poured blood, sweat, and tears into rerecording them. The result is a far more polished and definitive form of the record. And quite frankly, if you haven’t listened to theLionhearted in years (or ever), this is a great place to start.

Musically, theLionhearted manages to capture the post-hardcore and emo elements of bands like Emery, complete with tight vocal layers, but with several songs leaning toward seven minutes long, there are elements of post-rock and progressive rock as well. There’s even Listener/mewithoutYou type spoken word at play. There’s a lot of mid-00s appeal going on, and the songwriting is consistently dynamic.

Lyrically, the record seems to follow a journey of pain and loss to a place of hope and redemption. The album opens with a refrain of, “I just called to say I miss you” on “(Desperation)” and “(Recognition)” and “(Absolution)” serve as the other thematic pillars.

That said the space between certainly isn’t short supply, with the more standard songs doing plenty of heavy lifting. Ares’ drumming is incredibly tight, and the use of vocal layering really brings things to the next level. Even as early as “Longing,” it’s clear that the whole band is locked in – there’s a moodiness and tension that accompanies the sense of loss and search for closure. Guitars are icy and cold, managing to somehow be as jagged as they are beautiful.

“Hearts” is one of the most emotive tracks and, despite its hefty length, is perhaps one of the most single-worthy. I know the Emery comparisons are getting old at this point, but Ares’ voice and the overall vibe of the song feels like it’s straight out of the I’m Only a Man era. There’s some screaming, but nothing ever gets too brutal. And you’d best believe there’s a nice crescendo build toward the end.

“(Recognition)” is a spoken word lament, and the lyrics certainly aren’t for the faint of heart, describing lust in fairly vivid detail. I’ve often found it strange how there’s a tension to sanitize things that aren’t sanitary, and Ares does a good job of not getting too graphic while also not downplaying the seriousness of the pain and brokenness.

Things start to turn around as you might expect on “Healing.” Lyrically, it pairs with its predecessor, returning to the same imagery of a garden. Ares’ vocal delivery is more airy this time around and more muffled at times. Instrumentally, there’s still plenty of the same riff-oriented rock at play underneath it all. As the track continues forward, it becomes a prayer of sorts to see God glorified. It’s the longest track on the album, but it definitely doesn’t lag.

These prayerlike sentiments continue on to “Hands,” perhaps the most explicit display of faith out of all the songs. Musically, the guitars are a bit dirty and the drums feel raw – but the production is certain still professional. I’m not entirely sure how else to describe the track other than bombastic. The riffs are a bit tamer (apart from the chaotic close) and the vocals feel very triumphant.

“(Absolution)” is comparatively a wild change, opting for a piano base with all sort of people singing, “He’s got the whole world in His hands” on repeat – something that obviously ties into the previous track. It’s an interesting choice, much like the other parenthetical tracks, but it certainly works as a nice final statement.

Ultimately, this is a strong collection of songs only strengthened by the added time and effort from everyone involved. It’s a multi-genre exploration, but much of it falls under what I’d consider Tooth&Nail adjacent bands, so even the disparate elements won’t be alarming for many fans. And while it’d be unfair to says that theLionhearted’s main strength is simply nostalgia, it’s definitely not a bad thing to sound familiar. Overall, the story is pretty concise at just seven songs long, but there’s not much wasted in terms of the runtime. The more hopeful tracks at the end still carry the same explosive energy of their predecessors for the most part, and I’d personally love to hear more of this – not because life is always easy but because hope born through fire just has something very special about it. I’m not sure what’s on the horizon for Ares and friends, but you’ll want to keep an eye on this project.