Leeds crew Higher Power have been steadily making waves across the world over the past few years, injecting their fresh brand of crossover hardcore into a scene which can sometimes struggle with repetitiveness. Starting as a one-off project in 2014 between vocalist Jimmy Wizard and his brother Alex, the band has quickly became a much more serious, fully-fledged endeavour - even becoming the latest band to sign to Roadrunner Records.
With Higher Power ready to unleash their sophomore record 27 Miles Underwater through Roadrunner on January 24, here's a little guide to the band so you can familiarise yourself with them before it drops!
Higher Power
Jimmy - Vocals
Alex - Drums
Lou - Guitar
Max - Guitar
Pete - Bass
Space to Breathe EP (2015)
The band's first 3-track EP Space To Breathe quickly followed their initial demo in 2015, and immediately created buzz in the UK's tight-knit hardcore scene with its refreshing mix of old-school thrash, New York hardcore and groove.
Clocking in at only 7 minutes in length, Space To Breathe you can easily knock this one out on a work break or short car trip!
Higher Power eventually jumped across the pond to run some East Coast tour dates in the US in March 2016, building up a bigger core following before the release of their debut album Soul Structure.
Soul Structure (2017)
Quickly ramping up in popularity, Higher Power released their debut full-length Soul Structure in 2017 through Baltimore hardcore label Flatspot Records, who are also home to other notable bands in the genre like Suburban Scum, Trapped Under Ice and Backtrack.
The record signaled a step up in both production and songwriting, further elaborating on the balance of heaviness, groove and melody that they'd struck on their previous EP.
And let's be real - it's not exactly easy to pay tribute to music from an era decades ago while still keeping it modern and fresh, but Higher Power managed to strike that balance on Soul Structure in a way not many other bands could do.
Soul Structure also has a way of staying fresh and non-repetitive over its 10-track, half-hour length (which is a feat rare enough for any hardcore band) - but if you want a quick crash course, check out the tracks 'Can't Relate', 'Four Walls Black' and 'Burning'.
The record was well-received by fans and critics alike, and Higher Power used the momentum from this record to cement their place at the forefront of hardcore, stringing together some huge tours across Europe and the US with a myriad of renowned bands like Comeback Kid, The Acacia Strain, Knocked Loose, Harms Way, Every Time I Die and Cancer Bats to name a few. They even landed a spot on Download UK 2018 and Reading and Leeds Festival 2018 as well.
27 Miles Underwater (2020)
Fast forward to present day, and it feels like the only way to go for Higher Power is up, having recently signed to Roadrunner Records to release their forthcoming sophomore record 27 Miles Underwater on January 24.
All we have to go off so far is the debut single 'Seamless' (see above), but it's an absolute jam which sounds like one part Jane's Addiction, one part Deftones and one part unrelenting hardcore. It's a visceral mix of styles and it's all given an extremely shiny coat thanks to producer Gil Norton, whose worked with some massive names like Pixies and Foo Fighters.
It's another step forward and a great sign of things to come for Higher Power, who feel like they've really started to find confidence within their unique genre crossover.
Live Show
It wouldn't be right to talk about a hardcore band without mentioning the live show, and thankfully Higher Power deliver on this front as well. You could have the most exciting record out there, but if the energy at your show doesn't match then you've only got one half of the picture in place.
Higher Power shows look like a ton of fun thanks to Jimmy's infectious energy and ability to amp up an audience, which fans love to feed off.
Hopefully we'll get to experience it here in Australia sooner rather than later!
Pre-Order Higher Power's '27 Miles Underwater'
Listen to Higher Power now.
