SONG REVIEW: Havoc Faction - "Conflicts and Confrontation"
“LA based band breathes life into post-hardcore with new action packed single”
Written by Jesse Smith
As we go into 2023, the level of musicianship is at an all time high as far as performance, musicianship, image, and well… everything that goes into being a successful artist. In a lot of cases, artists only focus on a couple of these key points and lack in others. It takes a true artist to branch out and reach higher and higher to break through the ever growing music scene, this is where the band Havoc Faction is thriving. Based out of Los Angeles, Havoc Faction is a multimedia based group that not only focuses on writing really good songs but also creating an image, a story, and lore around the band. Labeling themselves “Post-Apocalyptic Post Hardcore” (Which I love) they truly do embody that spirit and it 100% translates. Releasing music dating back to the year that shall not be said (2020), Havoc Faction is no stranger to pushing the envelope and bringing their vision to life in more than just music. There is so much to unpack about this innovative group, but we are going to do our best.
The LA band’s new single “Conflicts and Confrontation” is a post hardcore heavy hitter. Drawing obvious influences from bands like Story of the Year and Thrice, Havoc Faction really stepped up with this single. Starting the song with what sounds like a gang chant or group vocal creates a different feel than when the music hits. There is something about it that just gives you an ominous feeling and sets a certain vibe that I really don’t get from music. As the music kicks in, it wastes no time getting down and dirty. First thing I noticed is the recording quality is super well mixed and sounds huge. Both rhythm and lead guitars really cut through and have their sound dialed in. I will give a heads up, this is a pretty long song coming in just shy of 5 minutes and the first time you hear vocals other than that group vocal is 1 minute in, part of the artistic experience.
I was not fully prepared for the vocals being mostly screams and being incredibly well done. The tone of the screams is text book 2006 post hardcore and translates really well in a 2023 track. The clean vocals also caught me off guard by how powerful and full the vocalist comes through. The energy throughout this song is high and never lets off the gas and even kicks it up a notch in key places. With the song being so long, some parts feel like they drag out but the song never seems boring and within what feels like a moment, the song ends and it’s been 5 minutes.
The song alone is really good, but to truly appreciate the artistry you have to indulge yourself in the accompanying visuals. Havoc Faction has a comic book, almost like The Gloom In the Corner, just more towards traditional comic style and less brutal. The lyric video for this track is an animated depiction of characters within the comic and brings another life to the song. While you're not watching it like a cartoon, you get to see the whole vision of the band and suddenly a lot of it makes sense. What I like most is personally, I’m not a comic guy, but there was something about how this band brought the great song with the cool animation and amazing comic drawings all into one. Although a bunch of bands have had this same idea, It feels like Havoc Faction in my opinion do it the best and truly engulfs their brand in the comic fire. I really enjoyed this song a lot and if you’re a fan of art in any shape, I highly recommend broadening your horizons and giving this an open minded shot.