Heartbound: “Lamentations” EP Review
Texas is known for its football, brisket and metal. This great state has produced some incredible bands like Oh Sleeper, Bloodlines and now we can add Heartbound to that list. This five-piece heavy metal band arrives on the scene with their new EP Lamentations. Speaking of Bloodlines, Matthew Benavides (drummer of the band) is the producer of this EP. Get ready for seven songs filled with vulnerability, spiritual warfare and redemption.
Lamentations EP Review:
Tracks: 7
Length: 29:02
Release Date: May 29, 2026
Label: Independent
The EP opens up with “lamentating” which contains a reading of Ezekiel 37, a passage that serves as a symbol of hope and restoration. However, the reading isn’t the only portion of this song, as we hear Michael’s vocals scream out, setting the stage for what’s to come. The guitar riffs continue from “lamentating” right into “(i am) disgusted.” Ridge and Jonathan are able to show their technical prowess on the guitars in the beginning, while Oscar slams away on the drums. The vocals remind me of Mike in early The Devil Wears Prada, while the clean vocals remind me of the cleans in Convictions. The rhythm is pure pit fuel.
“Waste every chance that I’m given. Spit in the hand that has given me such grace.”
That line gives me chills, because it’s something that Christians struggle with. We catch ourselves taking His grace for granted. Later in the song, we hear the lyrics “it’s like I don’t hate what is killing me. I make compromises for my humanity. This flesh starts to burn as I wither away.” We need to come to terms with our sin and repent, but also strive for righteousness that is found in Jesus Christ. What are you willing to do?
“The ballad of riko” starts off slow before packing a punch with the guitar riffs. This song features the screams from Wilson Marshall of Collective Dust. I love how the intricate, layered guitar sounds pair with a heavy rhythmic focus and subtle electronic textures. The music sounds more established and mechanical as the band showcases their talent. There are moments where we hear some auto-tone slipped in with the chorus where Collective Dust brings their personality into the song. At times I can hear the influence of Demon Hunter on the guitar work.
“I spent years just numbing myself. Instead of coming to terms with what happened in my youth. I hated every cell inside my skin for what I had become.”
Music aside, this song brings a hard experience to the surface. It’s written from the perspective of an abuse survivor. The survivor in this song at times blames themselves for what happened and throughout the song they struggle with what they’re coming to terms with. How do they move forward after this? When you’re hurt like this, it can be a struggle of coming to terms with it and moving on.
The raw, unvarnished songs aren’t done yet as we explode into “old friend.” Gritty guitar riffs kick off the song. This song features Danny Vitola from Bloodlines, as well as the guys from Colossae. “Old Friend” sounds like it takes some inspiration from old school Devil Wears Prada and The Agony Scene with a resilient, dark sound. The keys in the background helped give a theatric atmosphere to the song. This little stylistic change helps the track to stand out against the others on the EP. This is a brutal banger of a song that highlights those Texas hardcore roots.
keep the southern vibe going along with “nostalgia is a beautiful liar.” The southern metal raw guitar chords open up the track. The vocals have a great tempo that will get you moving along to it. There is an electronic effect that they put throughout the song, which helps add depth to it. There is a bass line thumping along throughout the song and I found myself tapping along with the bass rhythm. The inspiration for the song is pulled from several bible passages (Eph. 4:22; Exodus 34:29-35; Rev. 3:20 & 4:1-11).
“I must shed the old man. I need to bring the new in. I must move those idle hands. Repent! Repent! Let the new in.”
I love hearing the Scriptures influencing bands in how they write and style their music. They allow God to come in and speak through their lyrics. Don’t get me wrong, this can be done while using Scriptures or not, but I appreciate the songs that are directly influenced by what we read in the Bible.
For those C.S. Lewis readers, this next song is for you. Taking inspiration from C.S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters, “my dearest wormwood” is our next banger. The song features an old cartoony introduction. The guitars come in heavy and fast after this introduction. The breakdown is methodical and brutal. Michael shows off his vocal range going from high-pitched screams to low, guttural growls. I thought that was pretty impressive to show that range.
We end the EP with “rsft.” I’ve noticed a trend where metal bands will match their fury with at least one stripped down, acoustic worship style song. It’s great to see that these bands are willing to bring it heavy both in music and lyrics. The opening has an electronic sound, similar to what we would find with 1980s inspired synth (like on Stranger Things). We transition from synth to acoustic back to synth with some screams sprinkled in here and there. There are smooth flowing transitions between the different styles within the song.
“I’m such a waste. I don’t deserve Your grace (deserve Your grace). I am flawed and weak of mind. The Enemy keeps me blind and I’m beside my mind (beside my mind).”
Lamentations is a great EP from start to finish. With Heartbound bursting out of the gate with their debut EP, it is not hard to see that this band has a bright future. They brought the tough topics to the surface and matched it with their fierce guitar riffs and thunderous drums. After listening through, it makes sense why they refer to themselves as nostalgic Christcore, while pulling inspiration from Convictions, Demon Hunter, The Devil Wears Prada and many others. As we move forward, I’m eager to hear what else this band plans to bring in the future! They will be on the road for a couple stops in Texas this summer before hitting up Undead Revival in Ohio in October.
