On their most recent EP Lost Lights, Ohio emo and punk mainstays Hawthorne Heights continue to hone their craft in a new set of songs that tinges on nostalgia mixed with a more modern sound. From lead singer JT Woodruff’s vocal prowess to a more subdued instrumental, this EP sounds like the start of something new.

“The Storm” starts with a rumble of thunder coming from Mark McMillion’s lead guitar and Woodruff’s rhythm backing, taking a distorted sound that emulates sonic dips from fellow emo heavyweight Bring Me The Horizon’s “wonderful life.” Even with it’s most rambunctious verses, the chorus is in the band’s classic style with an easy-to-follow guitar riff highlighting Woodruff’s vocals. The lyrics, about someone having lost their fire, use the storm as a metaphor to emphasize how they struggle to keep going as situations become even more challenging.

Two things really stand out about these new tracks. First, it has to be, the harder sound the group has finally returned to with full force. The classic Hawthorne Heights sound circa the early 2000s had an instrumental that packed a punch plus a younger Woodruff who relied on an almost falsetto-like vocal pattern that mismatched against his bandmates. 

But now, Woodruff’s voice has become more gruff, gaining similarity to Yellowcard’s Ryan Key, fitting the band’s sound more. Second is the usage of crescendo throughout the new material and “Lucerne Valley” is a perfect example. While the louder sounds remains through 90% of the track, the few softer sections in the pre-chorus give the song more texture. 

The best song on the EP has to be “We Were Never Lost,” which feels like a mix of rock influences with a Midwest spin. The track’s opening moments are as big and profound as the rest of the record, but with a small riff similar to The Fucking Champs. Lyrics are for sure the focus of this track as Woodruff croons about confirming someone is where they are supposed to be, even though everything doesn’t feel like it’s in the right place.

“We’re wasting days and nights trying to find a way back home / But we were never lost / Caught in a constant grind trying to find, trying to find a way back home / But we were never lost.”

Overall, Lost Lights doesn’t feel like it’s trying to find a home and instead feels like Hawthorne Heights finally found where they truly belong and the newer sound is definite proof.