SINGLE REVIEW: Her Name Echoes - "Save Me"

Her Name Echoes blend sounds from metalcore, emo, and stadium rock for a masterpiece in “Save Me”

Written by JD Walker

There’s something to be said about a band that can write a good hook. What makes a good hook, though? It’s hard to describe, as it’s a combination of note choice, phrasing, and rhythm. Simply put, it has to have that “X factor.” Her Name Echoes channeled that “X factor” in their latest single, “Save Me”. The song blends a number of different sounds in a collected, holistic nature for an overal catchy and bangin’ tune. 

“Save Me” opens with a blistering lead guitar akin to old school metalcore or some emo anthems (think Fall of Troy, Killswitch Engage, or Wage War). This sound leads the audience to expect a certain sound, but Her Name Echoes quickly changes gears into a bouncy, almost breakdown-driven verse juxtaposed with rock-inspired vocals. Guitarist Billy Shank did a wonderful job of orchestrating the guitars around Joseph Demirjian’s vocals, and bassist Peter Cortes and drummer Ryan Kemmer kept the song grooving and hitting hard. 

The lyrics to “Save Me” scream personal tragedy as Demirjian sings about not being comfortable with himself and not trusting his own mindset or actions. The song’s recurring vocal motif, “somebody save me”, encompasses the helplessness associated with particularly hard bouts of mental health issues. The lyrics are amplified by an extremely well-done lyric video which can really make or break a successful single release. The video kept up with the vocal cadence perfectly and gives the viewer plenty to keep focused on while augmenting the tone of the song. 

“Save Me” is a song that’s jam-packed with catchy hooks and could easily see airtime on some of the biggest radio outlets in the country. The song comes as the first offering off their forthcoming album “Afflicted”, and is a culmination of 4 years of hard work and perseverance for the band. In the words of the band, “it’s all bangers... no filler.” The Arizona quartet have a truly special sound cooking for them and are bound to grace stages large and (not so) small when shows inevitably come storming back. For now the band is focused on releasing top-tier music, and that’s exactly what they’ve done with “Save Me.”