We The Gathered is a hardcore band that has been around for about a year or so, hailing from Johnstown, PA (a little college town of 20,000 people). The young band is trying to gain their spot in the hardcore music scene while blending a hint of melody into the heaviness. Believer is their debut album and is being released courtesy of Strike First Records. But the question must be asked: Will they be distinct enough to make listeners find them amid the countless number of metal bands trying to make it these days?

The title track opens the album and the initial impression is definitely heavy, heavy, heavy. Straight up, we hear slowly delivered growls laid over some rather good hardcore drumming and a melody of guitar and bass. The next song, "Savior," displays that exact same musical touch, producing another solid song with cries of praise and gratefulness for the Savior. The sound of the melody woven through is welcome and a nice change from the everyday metal scene. The following tracks show off that same sound while the screams lead people to "live differently" from the world and to have "no more compromise" in their lives.

After a quick, soft interlude near the midway point of the album, the heaviness begins again with "Surrounded," a track with an anthem/chant feel. "Antihero" and "Vision" both deliver decent sounds; nothing overly spectacular, but they're not really fillers either. The only real change musically (besides the aforementioned interlude) comes from "Undefined" and "Era Revive." The sudden start and stop pace in both songs have a sweet ultra-fast and slow flow to it, bringing a needed difference in the middle of all the metal. The chants of "I will not fall" will keep the fists raised and the heads banging.

Overall, this is a solid release with a decent collection of the hardcore sound blended with melodic guitar riffs. At times, it carries the feel of being sloppy and needing some final touch-up work, but for a freshman release, that's kind of expected, and the final product is pretty good. The lyrical content is right on track with what people need today and the album art is kind of cool too. If you enjoy the heavy scene or want something the tiniest bit different than your everyday run-of-the-mill hardcore, then Believer may be just what you're looking for.

- Review date: 11/1/11, written by Kevin Hoskins of Jesusfreakhideout.com