Light This City

The Hero Cycle was the first full-length from the now defunct San Francisco, CA metalcore band. Why Prosthetic decided to re-release the 2003 album is a mystery, as it displays the band at their worst ― contractual obligations, perhaps? But in comparison to their last offering, 2008's Stormchaser, The Hero Cycle could be inspirational to young musicians, as it proves that with hard work you can improve your sound, a bit, at least. The problem is that while vocalist Laura Nichol is damned cute, she's an awful singer. Sure, the "death growl" is not known for displaying much range, but listening to this woman on The Hero Cycle was akin to rolling naked in a bed of broken glass. On Stormchaser, she sounded like a young Angela Gossow, but on their debut, her thin howls and monotone delivery are unbearable. The band have always shown a lot of promise, but on The Hero Cycle their sound is unimaginative and limp.