Even though Fargo, North Dakota group Hands has technically passed, their last full-length record from 2011 "Give Me Rest" is an album beyond worth checking out. It's composed of a very well thought-out blend of atmospheric rock and metal with anthem hardcore, and the songs under this formula pretty much hit the bulls-eye. The music is overall slow-paced, but this allows for some powerful atmosphere for the tracks to build off of, which are already stellar to begin with. The melodies, the choruses, and everything else stick to the listener like superglue, and they sound emotional yet somewhat refreshing. The greatest highlight here would the first track "I Will," which has an incredibly soulful anthem chorus to it, and it's overall very empowering and heartfelt. On top of that, the musicianship is very potent as well, with frontman Shane Oschner's soothing clean singing and fierce, sludgy aggressive vocals, beauteous guitar melodies, and echoing percussion. Everything in this album is not just done right, but it is also done wondrously. Even though it's a tad under the radar, "Give Me Rest" is an album highly recommended for its powerful atmosphere and powerful music.
