If POST-HARDCORE has become passe then no-one's told Hollywood's Open Hand. You may have been lucky enough to catch their recent tour with former labelmates Poison the Well; the good news is that every last bead of sweat of their twitching, maniacal live performance has been captured and reproduced for home enjoyment on "The Dream". There's a surprising amount of melody at work amid the stuttering riffs and anger and it's to the band's credit that frontman Justin Isham has a voice of pure velvet rather than resorting to tired old grunts and barks. There are hooks and choruses aplenty yet Open Hand never stumble into the same wussy territory populated by Finch and the rest of the emo-lite brigade. Proof positive that there's still plenty of life in the scene yet.

So Trustkill lose Poison The Well, but gain these guys? Everyone's a winner baby! Although Open Hand sound nothing like PTW, this debut shows indications that the debutants are more than capable of filling the abandoned mantle. "The Dream" is a well glued piece of aural joy that flows effortless through its rollercoaster ride from start to finish. For a band to introduce itself with a concept album is unusual but don't be scared, there's no proggy bullshit going down here. Open Hand have merely crafted eleven stomping tunes in to one idea that works beautifully like it's no mean feat! "Life As Is" and "11th Street"... Listen and know that this band sound even better live! Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Open Hand, for those of you who don't know, are a Hollywood based quartet who recently hit these shores as openers on the Poison The Well UK tour. Having friends in the right places is always a help for up and coming bands but when your biggest fan is none other than a certain Jason Newstead then you must be doing something right. Armed with this cracking new album, Open Hand are another awesome addition to the ever-growing Trustkill roster which includes the aforementioned Poison The Well, Hopesfall and Eighteen Visions - all awesome bands - all hugely respected in underground hardcore circles. It won't be long though before Open Hand join the ranks as their brand of emotional, melodic music is quite simply stunning. Sliding from simply electric guitar work to the dreamiest of breaks, Open Hand are quite simply sensational at what they do. Vocalist Justin soars through each song with a range that will leave you speechless. Soaring from the most soulful, heartwrenching wails to harsher screams, Isham is surely one of the genres most talented vocalists. Need proof, check out track three, The Dream, for a chance to hear Isham in full flow. It's one of the finer moments in the quite literally beautiful album. Still, you'd not expect anything else from a band who'd shared the stage with similar quality acts such as Thursday and the aforementioned Poison The Well. The Dream is an album which has quality pouring from every groove and will have you captivated from start to finish. To say it is sensational stuff would be an understatement because, by the time you've reached Radio Days towards the end of the album, The Dream will already be your favourite album of the year. A lot of people criticise the music scene for just churning out the same unit-shifting rubbish album after album however, after sifting through a lot of those albums, it is moments like the 8 minute epic track Never Alone, which makes it worthwhile. A stunning end to a quite breathtaking and utterly surprising peice of work. Make sure this is at the top of your shopping list next time you head out on a CD buying spree!

Melodic Post Hardcore: Open Hand walks the line between post hardcore and radio ready alterno-rock brimming with crushing guitars and bombarding drums that are juxtaposed against meticulously crafted vocal melodies. The Dream is a collection of the band's previous EPs, Evolutions and Radio Days, as well as "626," a brand new track. For as much as Open Hand takes musical cues from more mainstream bands (Bush and Linkin Park tinged passages lurk around the album), there are sections of more complexly aggressive sounds that are reminiscent of the glory days of Quicksand and Helmet ("Thought Process," "Forever," and "626"). While it is refreshing to have acoustic guitar bridges scattered through the distortion and a singer who doesn't screech through vocal chords that sound like they had been scrubbed with Drain-O, occasionally the technique feels likt it's pulling the band's emotional punch as opposed to creating a sonic tension between the calm and the explosive. The dashes of keyboards, found audio, and field audio that pepper the album adds a nice layer to the sound, and it might be interesting if the band could expand upon that. The Dream is a solid effort that is worth the buzz Open Hand has already created. This is a band worth keeping an eye out for if you're already looking something a little different in your aggression.

The essential bodily needs of most people in the Western world have been fulfilled for decades. Your current needs are not being met if you have not heard Open Hand's THE DREAM. It's beautiful and bold whilst still maintaining the hard rocking intensity that's characteristic of Trustkill bands. Listening to just the first track, "In Your Eyes" will make you not only want, but need to listen to the entire album and continue the musical journey these West Coast rockers take you on with THE DREAM. An absolutely stunning disc in every and all respects.

Actually I haven't heard of this band before listening to this album a friend of mine gave to me. Open Hand is a new band on Trustkill Records. Their new full-length debut, "The Dream", is a combination of songs from the band's previously released EPs. The band included a new song but that is about it. Fusing melody and hardcore, Open Hand find themselves in the middle of an ever growing and expanding genre of music. Every new band that comes out with new material seems to raise the notch a bit and Open Hand is no exception. The vocals put forth by vocalist Justin Isham are pretty good. Very similar to the vocals by bands like "Boy Sets Fire", "Thursday" and a little bit of "The Juliana Theory". The music doesn't really have much assortment but do show off a little variety of sounds. The songs feel a little held back. I think the band should take more of a harder approach then the mellow approach. They have so much potential to be a great hardcore band but they seem to stray towards more of a mellow sound. This is definitely not a band that you would expect to be on Trustkill Records. They really aren't a hardcore band as much as they are a rock band. Of course they have elements of hardcore in their sound, it's just those cool screams are few. I can see this band doing some special things in their career, just not with this new album. "The Dream" is a good debut, and probably will be on a lot of people's top ten lists at the end of the year, but I think the band has yet showed us all they are capable of. I'm looking forward to newer stuff from the band. They definetly have the capabilities to make a dent in the music scene. My faves are "Life As Is", "The dream" and "11th street".

It’s been a long road traveled by the guys in Open Hand. Over the past three years they have been courted by countless labels, both indie and major, before finally deciding to call Trustkill Records home. Open Hand on Trustkill? The hardcore label? Has Josh gone soft at his old age (joke)? I doubt it. It’s hard not to listen to Open Hand and not fall in love with their music. Plus, in less then a day on Trustkill.com, the track “Life As Is” was downloaded over 1,500 times, and over 30,000 times in a three month period. Woah! You can’t argue with stats like that. So why did Open Hand decide on Trustkill? “Josh (owner) seemed really passionate about the band and willing to work with us, and take us to a whole new direction,” says drummer Alex Rodriguez, with vocalist/guitarist Justin Isham adding “I don't think we were ready for that scale of some of the majors, we just need to build still, so Trustkill will allow us to do whatever we want, and he (Josh) is ultra cool.” So develop they will, and with time, Open Hand is going to be huge. “The Dream” serves as their introduction to people who otherwise may not have had a chance to hear their “Evolutions” and/or “Radio Days” EP’s, all on one album. It also ties people over until their first real Trustkill release comes out later this year (much like what Trustkill did with .hopesfall. by re-releasing their EP before dropping the full length). To fans who have been with Open Hand over the course of their career, this is just going to be old songs on a pretty new disc, but it is still worth having. It’s very clear that the songs were written and recorded at two different times. Tracks 1-5 come from Open Hand’s “Evolution’s” EP, released in 2000, while tracks 6-10 are from the “Radio Days” EP, which was released in 1999. The last track is a previously unreleased song called “626,” recorded in late 2001. I think my only complaint about the album would be that it would have made a little more sense to put them in chronological order, that way when the listener is listening, they are actually hearing the band evolve over the course of the album. There is a huge difference between the two EP’s. Once track 5 goes into track 6 I could just instantly tell it was older stuff. Musically, Open Hand is deceptively heavy. They’ve got some really cool hooks and riffs laced throughout the songs that blend in beautifully with the vocals. That is one of my favorite parts of the album, the guitar work on the album. It’s not the most technical stuff, but a band like Open Hand isn’t supposed to be. It’s just really enjoyable, almost atmospheric music. The vocals are softer, giving the band a real indie meets post-hardcore vibe. Keith Barney of Throwdown/Eighteen Visions fame adds his patented growls on the title track “The Dream,” a beautiful song full of ups and downs and an amazing guitar solo about ¾ the way through. The lyrics all seem to be about past relationships and are easy to relate to. This isn’t your typical Trustkill release, but it’s cool to see them branching out. Fans of bands like Thursday and new Cave-In are just as likely to dig Open Hand as much as fans of bands like Creed, while at the same time, it’s going to be hit or miss with the hardcore kids. “The Dream” is in stores now.

I had huge expectations for this release. Aftering hearing the title track on the "Plea For Peace, Volume 2" compilation towards the close of this past summer, I immediately fell for this band. Make no bones about it, "The Dream" is one amazing song. But do the rest of the songs on this release hold up to such a standard? Mostly, they do. "The Dream" is composed of this band's two previous EPs that were seldomly distributed outside of their hometown area, in addition of one relatively new demo track. The first half of this release has the band's more recent ep, "Evolution," and like the title, these songs are far more progressive than the band's earlier, disjointed songs. The final track, the most recently written and recorded by the band is pretty strong and one of the more intense jaunts on here (somewhat similar to the new THURSDAY song, "Jet Black New Year") - if it's a sign of things to come, I'm impressed. Overall, OPEN HAND is not an easy band to describe, though I think terming them post-hardcore is a sufficient analysis as the often heavy guitars don't step too far away from that QUICKSAND sound. In addition, the creative double-bass drumming distinguishes this band's percussion with a technical, methodical sound normally not associated with such a fluid style of music. Most importantly however is the observation that without a doubt, the vocals carry this band from start to finish. If you don't find yourself singing along (or trying to at least - those high notes always kill me) to "The Dream," then trust me, you're just not listening nearly hard enough. The artwork on here is just stunning - the diecut foldout of the cover is something that I've never seen any release do before, and the quality of the graphics is mind-blowing. The proper context to keep in mind with this release is that it's a look towars the past with an introduction to the future. If you're willing to give OPEN HAND a chance now to leave a firm impression, the possible later rewards could be immense. In the meantime, I'm just going to keep on listening to the track "The Dream" over and over again.

Open Hand's The Dream is one of the catchiest indie-rock/hardcore albums to come out in a while. This California band takes familiar elements from emo, hardcore, and good old fashioned indie rock and smashes them together to make a sound that is unique in its melodic complexity. On a single song on The Dream, you will usually find upbeat punkish rhythms, hardcore metal fills, and clean harmonizing vocals all at the same time. The only drawback to the album is that sometimes when there is too much going on musically, it becomes tough to figure out what the singer is saying. Nevertheless, if you want a break from all the pigeonholed pop-punk and nu-metal, then Open Hand's The Dream is a perfect choice. The Dream kicks off with the harmonically complex "In Your Eyes" and ultra-catchy "Life As Is," with its echoing emo riffs and steady alt-rock vocals. The title track, "The Dream" is a depressive emo-ballad with perfectly timed hardcore metal guitar fills, and "This Is The End" is slowly moving art-rock song with some At The Drive-In style arpeggios. Powerful guitars and melodic vocals provide a full-spectrum sound on "radio Days," while the prolonged chords in "Never Alone" form a complex web of distorted harmony beneath the Page Hamilton (Helmet) style vocals. Fans of all types of rock music should find something to enjoy on Open Hand's The Dream, provided they don't mind the heavily complex song arrangements. Summary: Very complex indie-rock/hardcore with great harmony vocals.

Open Hand self-released a couple of EP's and now that Trustkill decided to hook them up, they put the two self-released EP's on one disc and added a song to give us a taste of what to expect on the next album. They hail from the L.A. hardcore scene but have decided to throw a monkey wrench in the system by playing a hardcore Indy rock mix. Some would cal this post hardcore. The guitars are melodic but then they throw in a breakdown and have some great back up screams to accompany the Peter Gabriel-esque vocals. A great band for those who love hardcore but want something more melodic and for those who really like the melodic stuff but want to hear a good breakdown and some screaming one in a while.

Hollywood's Open Hand is the latest signing to hardcore music's independent super-label, Trustkill Records. Their debut for that label, The Dream, showcases a band that has been generating plenty of buzz this past year, touring constantly and developing a sound that flirts with the more radio-friendly side of hardcore rock and roll. The Dream isn't actually a "new" album; it's a combination of Open Hand's first two independently released EPs, Radio Days and Evolutions. Remastered and thrown onto one disc, The Dream is just a brief introduction to get the band's name out before they head into the studio to record their real debut later this year. Both EPs total five songs a piece, with the first five, taken from Open Hand's most recent release Radio Days, being the better of the lot. The first emotion-packed screams (the sort of stuff you would expect from a Trustkill band) don't come until "The Dream," midway through the album. This track, as one would expect, is one of the albums best - a dynamic tune with a solid hook, this is hardly Trustkill material. "11th Street" comes equipped with yet another catchy refrain that unfortunately suffers from vocalist Justin Isham's rough, throaty singing. If there is a "hit" song on The Dream, it's "Life As Is." And if Open Hand was on a record label that draws radio's attention, it probably would be a hit. Which begs the question as to why Open Hand would sign with budget-strapped Trustkill Records and not a major label? Open Hand has far more in common with big league acts like Jimmy Eat World than Trustkill labelmate Eighteen Visions. In fact, most of Open Hand's songs seem radio-ready and the band clearly packs the necessary punch to fight for a major label record deal.

If your're going to do something, do it well. And I mean do ALL of it well. From the moment you look at Open Hand's CD cover for "The Dream," you are caught by curiosity. You go for the play button wondering,"what does this band that has such an original cover sound like?" This eleven track disc is full of radio friendly indie rock songs with an American sound in that the singer rarely hits the soprano range, and Open Hand isn't afraid to play their guitars like a guitar should be played. Hardcore influences, catchy emo crecendos and choruses make up for the sort of lame genre that Open Hand get lumped in to. I can see the video for "11th Street" and there are alot of flowers, a pretty girl, a fight, and Open Hand playing the song in the middle of some street in NYC. It's probably already written. It's simple, feel-good and refreshing, as is the rest of "The Dream." This is totally the CD for the trendy kids suddenly obsessed with Brit rock, only this is the American version. Just like everything else from comedy to food, we do it better. Other must listen tracks include "This is the End" and "Forever." Open Hand's "The Dream" should be bought in case of that rare first day when it feels like spring, or any road trip.

Hard and loving it, Open Hand’s The Dream is dreamy. As far as independent record labels go, the 1993 birth of New Jersey’s Trustkill Records spawned a reliable outlet to find great hardcore and punk/metal acts. What other label can host a show at Austin’s South By Southwest with bands such as Open Hand, Hopesfall, Eighteen Visions, Throwdown, Bleeding Through, Nora and Most Precious Blood? Trustkill’s reliability for the hardcore has been true — until now, but it’s not a bad thing. Hopesfall has given Trustkill another arrow in its quiver by adding a more melodic and emotional element to its tradition of breaking down the walls with jug-jug-jugga breakdowns and throaty bleats and screams. Add to the ammunition the latest release on Trustkill, Open Hand’s The Dream. The Dream is good, really good, a serious departure from what a typical Trustkill band has been. The album requires the listener to do just that — listen. The entire record is bold and original, and the members are brave enough to allow their music to be scrutinized under hardcore’s brutal magnifying glass. Open Hand holds its own on The Dream simply because the music is powerful, well-written and musically exceptional. None of the music on The Dream, however, is new. Originally released on two separate EPs on American Propaganda Recordings, the lack of good national distribution coupled with lineup changes failed to get Open Hand the exposure it needed to take these tracks to the right listeners. The combining of the Evolutions and Radio Days EPs with slick repackaging and distribution through Trustkill has allowed Open Hand to travel the path it sees fit. The label provides Open Hand national exposure without leaving the band to deal with indie band complications such as touring costs and the myriad number of hurdles talented-yet-unsigned (or undersigned) bands face. Exposure aside, the album itself is seamless enough to have the listeners believe these EPs belonged together in the first place. Complete with some between-song segues, spiraling synth notes that meld song to song, and great post-production that balances the older songs with the newer, The Dream is a big-time album. It is best to keep in mind when analyzing the production that the first five songs were done as a trio. Since then, only songwriter-guitarist Justin Isham and drummer Alex Rodriguez remain. The original writing process for the first songs came as a side project for Isham and Rodriguez’ old band, I Awake, and since then the band has been rounded out by former roadie-guitarist Sean Woods and bassist Jeff Meyer, formerly of St. Louis’ own Not Waving But Drowning. Blending a great rhythm guitar jugga-jug-jug with great acoustic and 12-string sounding licks gives the feel of Ken Andrews’ old band Failure (without the heroin references). Incorporating Rodriguez’ powerful, well-timed drumming adds an element reminiscent of old Quicksand or Thursday. But as their review in Audiogoik states, “Do we need another Thursday? In a word, no, but Open Hand promises a lot more than just another act with a floppy haired singer in a skinny t-shirt with issues with his girlfriend and the odd shouty moment.” The odd shouty moments, however, are taken care of in the title track by Throwdown/Eighteen Visions’ own Keith Barney who screams wonderfully harmonized backing vocals that perfectly add to the intensity of the emotion brought forth by Isham himself. Comparing Open Hand to other acts is ridiculous because of the original elements they are bringing to hard rock, and one can be sure the newly recorded full-length set to be released on Trustkill later this year will be further evidence these guys are to become one of the few new acts to which other bands will likely compare themselves.

This CD collects this California band's two EP's, "Evolutions" and "Radio Days" (originally released by American Propaganda Records), along with one extra track and a brand new layout and all that jazz. I will start out by saying that my only fault with this material is that the songs can tend to sound similar to one another in many instances. However, that being said, this band is insanely diverse in the styles that they flawlessly combine within each and every song. Be it melodic metal riffs, post-hardcore chord progressions, emo catchiness, acoustic guitars, samples, spacey effects that sound almost like synthesizers, amazing vocal harmonies, singing, screaming, detailed layering techniques, whatever. It's all here, and it's pretty damn impressive. The entire 45 minutes can get slightly tiresome at points, but it's still painfully evident that this band is amazingly promising. "Life as Is" immediately won me over with its semi technical riffing and gorgeous vocal harmonies, not to mention its infectious chorus. This one's a winner through and through, and easily the standout track of the album. "11th Street" is slightly more direct and catchy as far as the songwriting goes, "The Struggle" has some really interesting female background vocals with sort of an ethnic flare, and as "Never Alone" comes to a close there's a brief segment of silence before things fade back in with samples amidst ambient textures that sound like keyboards to me (though they could be heavily treated guitars). The production on the first five songs is pretty good. The drums are slightly rigid, and the guitars can be a tad thin, but the vocals sound great and the mix is really clear. I'd crank the bass up to add density to the middle and beef everything up, but that's really it (aside from warming up the kick drums and what have you). The production on the latter half of the disc isn't quite as bright, but it's still solid and I like the density. This thing has the craziest booklet I've ever seen. The whole thing is diecut so that each page is cut into a different size/shape and all three layers overlap one another and overlap the CD (for four overlapping layers total), creating a 3-D sort of popup book effect. Fucking awesome. The vibrant colors and crisply detailed artwork make things all the more interesting. There's not a whole lot of space, so of course the lyrics aren't included, just a band photo on the back of the booklet, and some small text tucked inside the booklet regarding the recording information and stuff like that. My prediction? This band will be on a major label and rather popular within a few years, complete with a super polished pristine recording and a set of songs that will probably blow these off the map.

I was a bit surprised to see this album released through Trustkill. Then again, Trustkill also put out the Idle hands cd, so I guess this isnt that surprising. Open Hand is a melodic rock band with indie/emo influences, and a touch of hardcore. Sound interesting? Well it is. The vocals are raspy at times, and deep felt. The music itself is a nice mix of distorted and clean guitar work, with fitting bass lines and drumming. Some of the songs want to make me curl up and fall asleep, and other make me want to tap my foot and sing along. The variety in sound comes from the fact that this album is made up of the pervious released EPs Open Hand has, Radio Days and Evolutions, and a few new songs. I think that might be the biggest draw back to this album if you are familiar with Open Hand, the last of new material. If you are new to Open Hand, then that shouldnt matter. Its nice having all the songs on one disc. I say if you like bands like the Beautiful Mistake, then Open Hand is for you. I think that this album could also be a gateway album for people to move from indie rock to hardcore.

A new name on Trustkill, at least for me. This CD combines 2 previously released EP’s of this band. Open Hand may be called a post hardcore act, with a hardcore background still visible, but being transformed into a more rocking, mature area. Not unlike Thursday or Taking Back Sunday, this is emotional, yet driving, melodic mid tempo post hardcore, or better: indie-rock. Their frontman really busts out various nice melodies with his voice, never missing the right dose of energy, with seldom screams and a good range of vocal abilities. Musically, this is mostly mid-paced rocking, and has some real good moments, e.g. the end of “the dream” with the twisted melody on the guitar before being faded out into the acoustic outro. Showing you cool moments in various other songs, including some rhythmic surprises as in “forever” or the long instrumental in “never alone”, this band stays true to their rocking, melodic music with the right dose of energy to be different to many other bands of the alternative genre. One of the remarkable things about this record is the drummer, who really delivers cool and fast fills and breaks on here, giving a good dose of energy to the instrumental side of this record. Although I missed some real highlight on this, Open Hand will be able to position themselves on the competitive market of emotional, rocking semi-hardcore acts with a huge appeal for your local alternative disco (which is not meant negative in any way!) and for getting you in a relaxed but never bored mood. Btw, the expensive looking die-cut packaging and the nice artwork make this a fest for the eyes for sure!

Hollywood’s Open Hand was obviously borne of the same hardcore aftermath that spawned bands like Further Seems Forever and Thursday. But founding member/frontman Justin Isham’s all-time favorite? Peter Gabriel. Don’t expect any Open Hand songs to be chosen as your Prom theme any time soon, but Isham’s taste hints at the deeper degree of sophistication that separates Open Hand from the bulk of similar “post-hardcore” bands that seem to be turning up every hour in Southern California and South Florida. The Dream--a combination of Open Hand EP’s Radio Days and Evolutions--is a fine primer for newcomers. While some of Open Hand’s lesser songs are still a bit interchangeable, their best songs are among the genre’s best. With a combination of intelligent intricacy and mainstream sensibility, this could be one of the bands to make a successful crossover from indie club favorite to Last Call with Carson Daly.

Open Hand is a Los Angeles based rock band that will blow you away if you like your hardcore progressive and your rock 'n' roll really hard. Implementing elements of Pink Floyd, Glassjaw, Deftones and Peter Gabriel into one giant swirl of music, Open Hand may just be the most sophisticated hardcore band on the scene today. Despite the fact that THE DREAM is really the compilation of two of the band's previous releases, combined, the mission statement that the band aims for seems very clear. Hard and hooky numbers like "Life As Is", with acoustic guitars up top and a driving rhythm underneath makes for some of the most immaculate music on the scene today, while the undeniable dual guitar attack of "11th Street" bridges emo, metal and power punk into one big love fest, suitable for everyone to enjoy. If the new song, the beautifully disjointed "626" is any indication, there's a lot more left of Open Hand's unique musical talent to engulf.

Trustkill has (with this band and Hopesfall) moved into a world of music that is verging on Alternative Press styled “post hardcore.” Not that the label doesn’t have the “true’ hardcore bands either but this release seems destined to be on the radio and MTV2. It’s just too nice, polished and acceptable. It’s a great record, don’t get me wrong. The playing is superb, the song writing is catchy as hell and the recording is about as clean as it gets. I especially like track four, “11th Street” with it’s guitar melodies and harmony. All of the record is of the same mold, all quality songs with no real stinkers. This CD contains lot of melody with a touch of abrasiveness creating a sound that the more timid of hardcore kids will love and the die-hards will hate. It’s just too nice… too perfect… too polished… Oh well, who’s to complain, it’s a damn good record.

It isn't often that I hear a band i truely want to share with everyone. I'm not an elitist cow who wants the underground to stay under the ground and keep all the good stuff to myself in my evergrowing collection of current music genius', I just don't always feel the need to impose my taste. I do see the danger in over exposure, yet without being afraid or getting upset if a band gets the odd mention in kerrang, which unfortunately a lot of people are; yes you know you hate it when that once unknown band who seriously noone had heard of a month ago are suddenly being recognised for their talents....'I liked GlassJaw before they were famous. Sellouts.' Fuck off. So now we've establishd we're one big happy music sharing loving family here would you like to hear about an amzing band? 'The Dream' as a title may imply some kind of unoriginal, sickingly contrived attemplt at false emotion, a cliche of the current post hardcore outfits we all quite like but are worried are getting excessive. Do we need another Thursday? In a word no, but Open Hand promise alot more than just another act with a floppy haired singer in a skinny tshirt with issues with his girlfriend and the odd shouty moment. From opener 'In Your Eyes', it's obvious that Open Hand are that bit different that make them something quite special, 11 tracks tight with the fusion of some kind of discreet yet powerful emotion, sublime melodies and the return to the simple guitar as the weapon to convey all this. Simple emotional rock music with that edge of rawness that makes it sincere. There are dynamics and a range within what the album as a whole gives as a very complete, perfectly orchestrated journey, indeed a 'Dream'. From the softer shades of 'Life As Is' and 'Thought Process' to the more up-tempo tunes such as '626' filled with crunching riffs and vocals verging on the aggressive, it is difficult to not connect with something that seems so effective yet without the guise of what too many bands see as necessary, that being the overtly obvious and sadly overused screamo/shouty shouty attempts; such aggression and channelling of emotion is there, without being relied upon. Indeed Keith Barney of 18 Visions fame provides those bits in the wonderfully emotive title track 'The Dream', a track whose dynamics and timing create something infinitely touching and effortlessly perfect. It's not difficult to see that Open Hand are not amazing in the sense of zany experimental noise and it is easy to assume that Trustkill's interesnt in signing them came from the need for an addition of softer, more emotive hardcore to the family of 18 Visions & Co. The impetus does not come from ground breaking ideas or some forced need to be new and original, it is a kind of music done so purely and sincerely, it never fails to be magical.

This cd is really quite good. It contains tracks from their previous two EPs, Evolutions and Radio Days. Both of which were released on American Propaganda and did not get good national distribution. It really seems like they belong together instead of two separate albums, which makes it the final masterpiece that it always should have been. For those of you with those two discs, this is somewhat of a waste. For many others this is, simply, a first taste. Either way, Trustkill has signed great talent. Open Hand has made their name known and will most likely dive for the kill and release a new album soon. They are, definitely, one of my favorite bands and I can't wait to hear more. If you like Thursday or Hopesfall, you will definitely fall in love with this band. They play a cathartic blend of slow melody and fast, somewhat aggressive, hardcore. Justin (vocals and guitar) has a pretty distinguished voice, something you'd be able to tell apart from others. The guitar work is very discernable and is very crisp on certain songs as it is lifted from the environment that the music below is creating. They create an environment and mood with their music. It is something only few bands can accomplish and Open Hand exceeds in that ability. From start to finish 'The Dream', like its predecessors, is a great prediction of what is to come from this band in the future.

If you want a record that brings the rock and avoids the clichés of the current state of indie music, then The Dream from Open Hand is exactly what you need. Originating from Hollywood, Open Hand have created a unique and interesting musical dynamic that is reminiscent of Elliott and Thursday, but with plenty of originality that puts them right on par with both acts. The verses tend to be midtempo and driving, often crescendoing into screamy melodic choruses, while at the same time offering poignant dueling guitar melodies that let the sound of Justin's voice sail above the ruling rock that they have coined. The composition of every song is incredible to the point that the transitions sound extremely organic without coming off as contrived or formulaic; a feat that can only be accomplished by really great musicians that all clique as one unit. The vocals are right on key and sincere, the guitar/bass work is interesting and moving, and the drums are enviously solid. The artwork is great, and the die-cut packaging only makes this record even more eye-catching. I wish that the lyrics were included though...for some of us that is REALLY important. For those already familiar with Open Hand, this release combines both of their previously released EP's, yet they are completely remastered by the incredible Alan Douches, and there's a new track entitled "626"... I have both of those EP's, but with the upgrade in sound quality and with the addition of the new track, I will probably only listen to the songs as they are on this release. This is the best thing Trustkill has put out in a long time...get it.

Trustkill Records happens to be one of the independent scene's most reliable labels as far as metalcore music is concerned. This is the label that helped elevate Poison the Well to national status, and has been the breeding ground for such scene staples as Eighteen Visions and Nora over the years. Due to this, it was quite surprising to hear the announcement that Open Hand, a Hollywood emo/punk band geared more towards emotional rock crowds than fiery hardcore pits, signed an exclusive deal and were touted as Trustkill's hottest signing. It also caused an uproar throughout much of the hardcore community, as taking this step made Trustkill appear to sell-out after achieving moderate recognition over their past successes. That is the typical mentality of a dedicated hardcore fan, and as such Open Hand began creating noteworthy buzz in some circles while being continuously bashed by those who felt Trustkill had gone soft. Needless to say Open Hand is not the typical Trustkill artist, as The Dream fully attests, yet the blazing originality captured within this album, and the risky chances taken by these California men make for an album that is highly unpredictable and remarkably fresh, and with the catchy pop hooks and underlying grittiness one should quickly realize that while this is a new venture for the once acclaimed hardcore label, it is an intelligent one. The Dream is not particularly new, as it is in fact made up of two of Open Hand's previous demos from their time touring across the country attracting listeners to their edgy emocore sound and turning heads everywhere they performed. The first half of the album happens to be the group's Evolution's EP, while the latter half is made up of their Radio Days EP and one seemingly new track, "626", which was recorded in 2001. As of such, anyone that followed the band's early career (of which there are many, as Open Hand were arguably one of the hottest underground bands prior to Trustkill snatching them up) will not find a whole lot on The Dream to clamor over, as it's older material repackaged and released to a wider audience. Aside from this, Open Hand are an incredible group of musicians that somehow have taken the expected emo/rock style and completely manipulated it, at once unleashing an elaborately detailed cornucopia of sound and sprucing up an otherwise weepy indie scene. The songs contained here are irresistibly enjoyable for the average rock fan, yet the hardcore and indie rock influences seep through to give the album a raw edge few rock bands could ever wish to recreate in a major studio. With this said, The Dream is effectively a tour through Open Hand's evolution as a young band, and an exceptional introduction to one of tomorrow's household names. The album opens with a familiar sound, a telephone ringing as you hear an assortment of background conversations layered upon one another, yet as soon as the phone is answered and you hear the unsure voice ask "Uh, can I play you, uh, some of the new things I've been doing that, uh, I think could be commercial..?" you know this is not your average indie rock effort. The sardonic humor embodied in that one fractured sentence gives the listener an understanding that Open Hand aren't looking to be the next big thing, yet the music that follows subsequently proves that is exactly what they are eventually going to become. Justin Isham's emotive guitars explode with passionate determination, and his vocals exude a loving melody that instantly moves the listener without dwelling on the tired themes of heartbreak most emo music depends upon. "In Your Eyes" is a tremendous opener for just these reasons, as it clearly introduces Open Hand's intentions, and the multi-layered harmonies and the balance between driving melodies and more delicate texturization expands on the group's vision of emocore music. One has to keep in mind the first five tracks were done as a trio, and since then only Isham and drummer Alex Rodriguez remain. Rodriguez' drumming is powerful without becoming out of place, subdued yet direct in it's intensity. "Life As Is" continues in the same vein, gracefully piecing together fragile verses with underlying pop hooks to make it a fan favorite. The album's self-titled track broadens Open Hand's capabilities, as the more aggressive melodies are off-set by Throwdown/Eighteen Visions' own Keith Barney who screams with savage ferocity. This is where you can detect Isham's past hardcore influence, as he once belonged to underground upstarts I Awake, which happened to be the impetus for Open Hand, and his rough guitar squeals allude to this past involvement. "11th Street" is more in-your-face, which seems like an obvious oxymoron considering the musical style, yet this is also one of Open Hand's most accessible tracks and would make for an exceptional single if radio were more accepting of originality. It is clear that Open Hand's Evolution's EP was an amazing debut recording at it's time, and the songs still carry an immense amount of energy even after a few years wear and tear. Then comes the Radio Days EP portion of The Dream, which finds the band becoming a bit more experimental, bearing similarities to Boyhitscar and At the Drive-in. "The Struggle" begins rather spacey yet evolves into a whimsical musical feat incorporating some riveting acoustic maneuvers and while it at times echoes Further Seems Forever it feels inherently fresh. In fact much of the Radio Days EP benefits from some intricate acoustic work courtesy of Isham, as it adds an added depth, and although the emo presence is certainly more notable here including it's many clichés, Open Hand are so enticing with their musical structuring that you never are quite sure what to expect. The airy melodies float in the air all around your head, effectively forming a cloudy veil of emotion, and this in turn provides a dream-like atmosphere, making the album's title all that much more fitting. "Never Alone" is rather long and is quite blatantly an album closer, as it was intended to be as part of the group's previous EP, yet "626" has been added at the end, disrupting some of the album's flow overall. "626" is a much more adrenaline-pumping post-hardcore cut, heavy on the aggression and disenchanted harmonies, and may have served as a better segue from one EP to the other rather then shuffled into the end. I suppose this effectively leads the listener from the past to the present with a glimpse at the future of Open Hand, yet it just makes for a choppy ending that apparently was given little thought. Open Hand have their faults, most prominently the fact that they have already been placed in the "emo" category which is almost a kiss of death considering Dashboard Confessional's abrupt departure from the mainstream eye, and as such many may pass The Dream by assuming it's just another teary-eyed record pleading with the listener to feel the anguish of it's lyrical contents. The Dream also suffers simply by being a collection of sorts rather then a snapshot of the band currently, as though their old material is tremendous and impossible to hate, it gives the listener very little to go on. One extra track barely compliments the group's ever-changing sound, and given it's placement new fans may already grow to love the group's early efforts while ignoring what should be the focal point of the album. This may cause for the expanding fan-base to feel a bit jaded when the new album drops and bares little in common with the direction Open Hand took earlier in their career. Regardless, The Dream is a stupendous album of some of today's most invigorating emo/punk, and though it panders towards a more rock n' roll audience, it doesn't fail in making it's hardcore influences known. Older fans may scoff at the release, yet there are always a small contingent of fans who refuse to see "their" band grow and take on more fans in the process. Those who have followed Open Hand over the past few years may want to pass this by (although it has to be said Trustkill have done a jaw-dropping job with the conceptual artwork.....ridiculously vivid in color and shockingly innovative) but those not fortunate enough to collect the band's independent outings should really take the time to reacquaint yourself with today's best up-and-coming rock band.

Even though this album is simply just the group's previous two EP's combined, the tracks seem to fit together and flow perfectly. Open hand deliver a solid sound with very good vocal harmonies, their sound could probaly be described as general rock combined with post-hardcore and filled with emotion. Before recieving the album I had only heard the track "Life As Is" and wasn't really sure what to expect, but what I found was a great band that seem to somewhat stick out from all the other bands coming out as of late. The music is mostly on the lighter side but you will also hear something slightly more louder and deeper at times, as well as some screaming vocals that blend nicely. A taste of that is first heard on the title track, "The Dream" which is technically put together well and is a great track off of the album. Samples are also found within most of the songs which actually seems to help blend songs more well together. This album is one of the best I have heard recently and I am sure that I will be listening to it for a good amount of time to come. Some songs on this album are amazing, there is the occasional track that might lack something the others have but nothing really seems to bring down this album. Every piece of this group is very talented, and they show it well. The vocals always have a nice feel to them and the way the songs are put together and written suit the vocals perfectly in my opinion. One thing that is always a big factor in my music is the ability to listen to the album and not get sick of it or hear too many songs that sound the same. Open Hand's songs aren't necessarily way to differant from one another but they still don't necessarily sound alike and they can change it up somewhat. "The Struggle" stands out from most of the album and is one of the best songs on the effort, with two differant types of vocals combining nicely for a smooth sound. One thing is for sure, halfway through this album you will not want to stop listening and when it's done you'll want more. This band still ceases to amaze me, even after already listening to this album countless times. They create a sound that is simply beautiful and just kind of draws you in. If I suggest anything, it is that you don't disregard this band after the first listen because I feel that they can be almost an acquired taste to some. This album captured my attention from the first track "In Your Eyes" and kept it until "6/26" which tops off the album and is a little more harder at times but none to less a great song.

Trustkill gets their wuss on with their release of The Dream by Hollywood, CA's Open Hand, but in a good way. While not as incendiary or heavy as some of the current underground fare emanating from Cali (Taken, 18 Visions, Bleeding Through, etc.), Open Hand shares the same fascination for melody so rampant in the underground, only they've expanded that interest beyond dabbling/contrasting and made it their main mode of attack. Blending numerous melodic/indie rock and post-hardcore influences together to create a catchy and intricate sound that's reminiscent, at times, of Failure and Quicksand, and at others comes close to revealing what Poison The Well or From Autumn To Ashes would sound like with the all-out aggression used minimally. Obviously it has huge crossover potential, and tracks such as opener "In Your Eyes," "11th Street," "This Is The End" and "Never Alone" attest to this fact. However, despite its pensive melodic nature and excellent contrasting, if fleeting, moments of rage and heaviness, Open Hand can occasionally come a little too close to sombre Foo Fighter/Filter-ish alternative fare. But the beautiful packaging, musical intricacy and more hits than misses ensures that The Dream will persevere.

A surprise from hardcore powerhouse label, Trustkill Records, Open Hand is not what you would think from this record label. With releases from notorious hardcore acts like Poison the Well, Eighteen Visions, and Hopesfall under their belt, a band like Open Hand probably surprised many people. Open Hand are a clever and very tight indie rock band with some hardcore and some emo influences. From rough to pretty vocals, from heavy distorted to clean guitars, Open Hand delivers a complete package with “The Dream.” This band is very melodic with an almost too-perfect hardcore/indie sound backing great vocals. The CD also contains a booklet which redefines CD booklets with a foldout layout. Fans of any type of genre of music should at least give this band a listen. Stand out tracks are “626” and “Life as it is.” But even with all the outstanding songs Open Hand delivers on this album, they were all previously written, recorded, and released. “The Dream” is just a collaboration of their two older releases, “Evolution” and “Radio Days.” What fans should really be craving are the songs that Open hand creates now under Trustkill. Only bigger and better things are to come for them.

It's difficult to describe what Open Hand sounds like. They're probably pitted somewhere between alternative and rock, but they've got a really smooth elegance to them that makes both those genres sound too rigid. 'The Dream' is best song, undoubtedly...the entire album is energetic and mysterious, also amazingly catchy. They're definitely a different kind of music for a label like Trustkill....the release is as much of a change or step in a new direction as TK's release of L'Homme Robotik (Spark Lights The Friction). Open Hand, though, is much catchier and radio-friendly. The album's dynamics are incredible. It's better than any alternative/pop I've heard in a long time. The dynamics make the songs a million times more powerful, and despite the genre Open Hand may fit into, their music is driving and emotional, aggressive in a way very different from most other music. Sometimes the mood is even as far as dark, not so poppy or even alternative, but more moody with flashes of sadness and mystery. There's nothing to even compare it to; at some points a sad Thursday song, at others there's just nothing that compares or resembles what Open Hand is. That being said, The Dream is a breath of fresh air, blending together a lot of different emotions and genres, exceeding any expectations and boundaries presented.

Trustkill has some amazing bands under their name, Hopesfall and Poison the Well to name a couple, and they've done it again with this Hollywood band. They're more rock than their labelmates, i guess i'd label them melodic rock with hardcore influences. The cd kicks off in style with a phonecall and crushing guitar riff on 'In Your Eyes', which leads smoothly into the amazing and beautiful 'Life As Is'. There's lots of delicate guitar work remeniscent of Hopesfall (checkout 'Radio Days') and haunting melodic vocals throughout, plus some of the nicest cover art ive ever seen! The gentle emo rock of 'thought process' is well worth a listen, and the cd ends in style with the explosive '626'. A must-have album.

Trustkill’s newest signings certainly have a way of making an entrance – in this case it’s jumping from a great height. Inspired by a melting pot of different influences, including hardcore, math rock and, bizarrely, Peter Gabriel, it’s no wonder that this Tinseltown troupe have been touted as the scene’s biggest secret; though with this bold debut, they’re positively shouting their name from the rooftops. Starting as they mean to go on, ‘In Your Eyes’ is a surge of heart-stopping, anxious riffs that teeter on the edge of the precipice while the solid bassline provides the harnesses and confident vocals coax and reassure. Title track ‘The Dream’ captures that lucid, floating feeling via complicated guitar dynamics that intertwine before the sharp chorus forces you to jolt awake. A storming debut, brave and brilliant – buy it!

Although I had heard this band, and had a good idea of their sound, I'd say this is a somewhat surprising release from Trustkill. With the previous few releases being from Hopesfall, Eighteen Visions, and Poison The Well, I expected something more along the lines of melodic hardcore. Although a little surprising, it is most definetly a good thing. As generic hardcore bands seem to be flooding the genre and scene, it's good to hear some solid indie rock in there. So enough about labels and other bands, Open Hand have presented a cd with crisp yet somewhat raspy vocals, a good mix of clean and distored guitar riffs, and fitting drums and bass. It is comprised of songs from two previous releases, "Radio Days and "Evolution's". The band has a sound that mixes style of bands like The Used and Orange Island with hardcore instrumental influences. The two tracks that stand out the most on this disc would have to be "626" and "Life As Is". I would say those tracks could pretty much sum up the album, and are a good represtation of the band. I'd suggest downloading these tracks if you have any questions on getting this cd or what the band sound like. The only thing that is holding this album back is the fact that all the songs were previously recorded, as I said, from two prior albums. I'm definetly looking forward to what Open Hand has in store for the future and their next releases. "My shit sounds like an aligator with Smokey Robinson singing", a quote from the final few seconds of track 4 "11th Street", although humorous, somewhat acurate, if you actually put the time into thinking about it. I came across this while listening, and thought that it's gotta be fit into the review somehow. Anyway, this is a cd for fans looking for a somethiong differnt from the general hardcore scene, maybe something a little more punk or indie. If that's you, then definetly, look into this cd. Even if not, give it a shot anyway, you may just become a fan.

If there is one band on the Trustkill Records roster that deftly illustrates the label's diversity and ability to spot exciting music other than the incredible hardcore that it has built its reputation upon, it's definitely Open Hand. This Orange County band isn't typical Orange County fare, ie. pop punk and moshcore. 'The Dream' is all push-n-pull, a harmonically distorted distortion of the best qualities of emo and hardcore and pop punk. Shades of all these genres color the vivid The Dream. The album effortlessly changes moods several times throughout, with plenty of contemplative, almostepic moments at the center. Each song is so lush and layered, that one song literally bleeds right into the next. Check out the way 'The Struggle' melts into 'Thought Process' with beautiful, seamless ease. That's no small task orminor accomplishment or easy feat for a band with emotional and heavy tendencies, but Open Hand does it with such oomph, you'd think writing this type of complex music was a joyous day at the beach for Open Hand's players.Vocalist Justin is just that: a vocalist whose clean singing is the tie that binds all the other elements of The Dream. We don't want to wake up after 'In Your Eyes' , 'The Dream' , 'The Struggle' , '11th Street' and 'Radio Days'.

The first highly anticipated, although already heard, release of 2003, is Open Hand’s The Dream. Consisting of their 2 independently released EP’s, Radio Days and Evolution, the band’s first national major release is through Trustkill Records. With a reputation for launching Poison the Well’s careers and for being very supportive of their bands, Trustkill landed a major hit with the signing of this band, and both parties are surely looking towards bigger and better things in the coming years—and having just acquired Jeff Meyer from Not Waving But Drowning on bass, the band are sure to gain more credibility and attention. The music, which is a very strange breed of melodies, hardcore tinges, very smooth, crisp vocals, and soothing sounds that can either tear your ear drum apart or ease you to sleep, is something that isn’t easily identified with a genre label or anything of the likes. Featuring a large collection of vocals from both the lead singer Justin Isham and the former bassist, the vocals easily take center stage. Not to be discounted, the rest of the band rocks just as easily and really makes the music all their own. The guitars are very sonic and ambient, that aid their very spacey feel to the music. At times, you want to just indie-rock it up, and throw on the emo-glasses. Then the music takes a turn that sounds so out there and different from what you just heard, that you have to find a new outfit to fit in with the music. Some near world-music sounding tracks like “The Struggle” and the title track, make you want to just lay back and chill in an easy chair. The only thing I can complain about is the pairing of two EP’s that have two distinct feels, and meshing them together. To me, that’s like trying to take Wish You Were Here and Darkside Of The Moon by Pink Floyd, and cutting them together into one album (if time constraints weren’t an issue). However, since most people purchasing this won’t have heard either disc and will be new fans, this won’t make as much a difference to them, and is definitely a good choice to get their already great music out to the fans as quickly as possible. Production value and sound quality are the only thing that bring this record down at all. Otherwise, it would receive grades that rival such major releases as dredg’s El Cielo or Ours’ Precious. Ironically enough, it’s one thing I generally try to see through, but this album is fairly light in the production area, and is very hard to ignore. Not to worry—this wasn’t even paid for by Trustkill, and wasn’t produced by anyone you’ve ever heard of. I’m sure their next effort will be as great as the shoestring budgeted Tear From the Red by Poison the Well—at least, relative to the size of the release, that is. The most peculiar thing about the music is quite possibly the translation from CD to live show. This might not fit so well into a CD review, but I had to comment on it. Having seen the band three times now, I can say that I have every time been blown away with how well the album is presented live—not that it’s an exact replica a la Tool, but a more heartfelt, heavier, and much more aggressive presentation. Most everyone I talk to says they are in disbelief when they see them live, since essentially on CD, they are a very indie-rock styled melodic hardcore band. But live, it’s almost hard to categorize them in that manor at all. Just give this disc a listen to, and then go see them on a tour, and see for yourself. Overall, a very good treat for the ear. The next release should be a more flow-oriented full length that is all produced, recorded and written in the same state of mind, giving it a more complete feel and a more quality sound. If you haven’t heard either EP yet, or if you haven’t discovered one of them, or hell—if you just want a collector’s item for one day when they are bigger, get this record. Just don’t expect some multi-million dollar production.