Hopes Die Last

As we count down the final seconds of a scene that doesn't try to exploit nu-dubstep, it's Italian quintet Hopes Die Last that finally shut the gate, teaming up with Roman dubstep producer Nekso for the closing track of Trust No One. "Keep Your Hands Off" boldly mashes the abrasive LFO mess made famous by Skrillex, with poppy choruses and screaming breakdowns. Despite a possible shortening of its shelf life, this gimmick could've been safely applied to the rest of the record; Trust No One is a solid screamo/post-hardcore record, in the vein of Underoath, Alesana and any number of similar artists, but love it or hate it, closer/lead single "Unleash Hell" and the aforementioned "Keep Your Hands Off" are the only two tracks that punch through the bag. And, yes, that's counting the garish cover of Katy Perry's "Firework." How's your 2012 looking, Nekso?