Band:	Lionheart
Album:	Welcome To The West Coast III
Style:	Hardcore
Release date:	December 2022

01. The Trilogy Intro
02. Death Comes In 3's
03. Hell On Earth
04. Live By The Gun
05. Cold Water Farewell
06. Stories From The Gutter Pt. II
07. New Money | Old Pain
08. Deathbed Confession
09. At War With The Gods
10. Bonnie & Clyde '05
11. Exit Wounds

Are you down in the dumps and in need of a wild, fun, adrenaline rush? Lionheart have for you the perfect medicine.

"L! H! H! C!
Welcome to the West Coast Three!"

Right off the bat, the five US boys launch this newest instalment with intense, fist-pumping shouts, accompanied by buzzing guitar licks. As the songs progress, pounding drum beats keep the pace at max speed like the rumbling wheels of a speeding locomotive, while an energetic lead vocalist spits clever rhymes that provide the album with a flow of unrelenting, aggressive energy.

What, you may ask, is this aggressive mix of hip-hop catchiness, rap lyrics, death metal riffing, and thrash aggression — all wrapped up in a hostile package of hardcore? Well, like the opening lyrics suggest, it's called
"LHHC": Lionheart Hardcore. When a band defines their own genre, you know they mean business. And they've got a message or two to share. While some of their lyrics focus on the tough life growing up in the slums of California…

"Broken windows
Spilt liquor
Roaches in the sink
Lemme paint the picture
Broken locks
Spilt blood
Call 911
They ain’t even showing up
Call 911
And they ain’t even showing up?
Nah not around here
Not where we grew up
Welcome to the gutter"

… other tracks concern themselves with themes of helplessness and death…

"Back against the wall
As the hammer drives in another nail
New money and old pain
Chained to the grave
And we all die the same
Chained to the pain
I’ve been living in vain
And there’s no escape
New money and old pain
Askin' God to show mercy and he’s laughing"

… or reflecting on the meaning of Heaven and Hell…

"Forgive me, Father
For I am sin
I’m a reflection of the demons I let in
A mirror image of the monsters in my skin
I am the wind; I am the rain
I am the trauma I was born in
Life is Hell!
So Death must be Heaven!"

… but you're always sure to find lyrics that are simply badass and motivational:

"I saw a bullet with my name on it
So tell me where you placed it?
Right between my mandibles
Just for the taste of it
…
Death smiles
With teeth that are rotten
I didn’t answer when it rang
I knew it was the reaper callin'
We all die alone
But I won't die forgotten"

Overall, despite the many dark themes, there remains throughout the album a sense of fun. The rather tongue-in-cheek gimmick of often shouting the name of the song within that very same song always puts a smile on my face. The groovy melodies and the powerful shouts of the backing vocals make me want to sing along and join in on the addictive energy that this band radiates. One song I recommend that exemplifies the best of the upbeat traits is "Live By The Gun", featuring rapper Ice-T as a guest vocalist. With a groovy main riff, a catchy chorus, a melodic guitar solo, and an immensely heavy breakdown, you're practically guaranteed to have fun – just like the band. In fact, that might be the best selling point: whether one is a fan of hardcore or rap or not, one cannot deny that Lionheart are having fun doing what they do best.