Sub-genres from Puerto Rico’s independent music scene that have always maintained an underground status have been those related to rock, and emo-driven melodic hardcore is not a stranger to this. One of the recent bands to dip their feet into the field has been Hey Annie Tomorrow Ends (H.A.T.E.), which recently released their debut EP “Whale Street” to try and give some life back to the genre.
(cover art for the EP)
Clearly influenced by the mid-2000s emo and melodic hardcore bands that grew to prominence thanks to Hot Topic and the recently defunct VANS Warped Tour, H.A.T.E.’s “Whale Street” is a short and to-the-point display of said influences to the point where the band makes reference to the California group Dance Gavin Dance. However, while the ensemble hold their inspiration tight to their sleeves, it is good to see a young band trying to take a hand a sound not typically accepted by an island dominated by danceable music.
As the group’s sound grows, H.A.T.E’s “Whale Street” is a brave display by a young band facing their inner demons through a genre not regularly sought by the mainstream. Hopefully, the future will see this young ensemble experimenting with other more progressive genres.
Listen to “Whale Street” on Spotify and Bandcamp
All of the pictures in this article were found in Hey Annie Tomorrow Ends’s Facebook Page