I don't know if there's a line between screamo/melodic hardcore/post hardcore anymore. The genre lines blur and I guess it's up to the listener to decide. I guess it's post hardcore if you don't want to be associated with the screamo and hot topic scene. But genre lines blur and the terminology changes over time. Whatever you want to call A Hope for Home is fine with me. I'll stick with saying they're a damn good band.
Maturity and a new sound without really changing your style or sound is a hard thing to accomplish. Maturity shines through on Realis. Realis doesn't deviate far from The Everlasting Man but expands the sounds. It's more dynamically interesting. In a hardcore scene that thrives on triggered drums and precision guitars, Realis a raw throwback to the mid 90's.
No Light offer's a lighter side to the band. A pretty piano plays the melody in the background while Matt Ellis sings. Nathan Winchell delivers a scream that reminds me of when Chad Gilbert was singing for Shai Hulud. Realis steers clear of being just another album of screaming verses and clean sung choruses. It's post hardcore that is done right in a genre that's mostly known for being pretty terrible. No can't help but be remind of As Cities Burn's first two records.
Concept records are hard to pull off and Realis is a concept record. The first half based around Nietzsche's quote "God is Dead", the second half of the album is a man “building his beliefs from the ground up”. A Hope For Home half created something special and fans who might have been skeptical after hearing The Everlasting Man might not be too impressed with Realis but in my book maturity has been shown and Realis is a step in the right direction.
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