Muen Magazine

Heart-Set Self-Destruct “Of Nightmares” CD Review

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By: Matty

I first became introduced to this band around early summer of 2011.  I was offered by Elias Soriano of Nonpoint to come to a Nonpoint show and it was an opportunity for me to interview Surrender The Fall and to check out a new band on the horizon from Chicago known as Heart-Set Self-Destruct.  Keep in mind that there were less than 100 people at People’s Court in Des Moines, Iowa.  It was two days after the radio festival known as Lazerfest, which takes place in Indianola, Iowa and the concert was on a Tuesday evening.  I quickly became enamored with their energy, and their heart-felt passion in their music.  I checked out their latest offering entitled “Of Nightmares”, which you can pick up at I-Tunes or at any of their shows, in which they are providing direct support for Pop Evil on their one-off dates and touring with Heirosonic.  Their versatility, passion, and musicianship is what is going to take this band places.

Heart-Set Self Destruct is comprised of Dave Naruszewicz(vocals, guitars), Chris Rogers(guitars), Daniel Concannon(bass guitar), and Steve Bitte(drums).  Heart-Set Self-Destruct has built quite a name for themselves consistently selling out venues in Chicago such as The Double Door, The Metro, and the legendary House of Blues.  They started to make a name for themselves by playing shows in the Midwest with the likes of Red, Flaw, Powerman 5000, Janus, Taproot, just to name a few.  They caught their significant break by opening some shows for Nonpoint on Nonpoint’s Midwest leg of the tour.  They released “Of Nightmares” awhile back.  In a time where it seems that so many bands and recording artists become stale and generic, Heart-Set Self-Destruct offers something refreshing to their music.

“Of Nightmares” starts off with a kick in the teeth with the track entitled “Lie To Me”.  I quickly became impressed with Dave’s versatility and ability to alter between his screaming voice and his singing voice.  This track would be a great concert opener for Heart-Set Self-Destruct.  It gets the blood pumping, the mind racing, and it’s sure to be a mosh pit waiting to happen. ”Of Nightmares” doesn’t waste time going into the next track entitled “Collapse”.

“Collapse” is such a standout track for me.  I really like the chugging, yet smooth bass work that Daniel provides in this track.  The bass lines set the tone for this song.  You can also feel Dave’s sense of urgency and sense of anguish and pain in this particular track.  My interpretation of “Collapse” is talking about how the world tries to satisfy itself with all the material possessions although in the end we feel emptiness as we pursue greed, which is a thirst that is impossible to be quenched.  “The emptiness is killing you” sings Dave with a sense of pain and anguish.

“Monster” should be the next big rock anthem.  “I got a catacomb of secrets that will break your heart” sings Dave.  The subject matter of this song is rather interesting.  According to their biography section on their Facebook page, “Monster” talks about how a tortured soul feeds and craves other people’s pain, as if it is an internal motivation for that tortured soul.

From this CD, I can tell that Heart-Set Self-Destruct’s influences are wideranging.  If one enjoys music by Chevelle meets Taproot with a splash of System of a Down, then this CD is for you.  It’s just an enjoyable, all-around pure solid CD for the listener.  Their music can be picked up at I-Tunes and CD Baby and at the tour dates below.

Check out Heart-Set Self-Destruct at the following tour dates below:

Thursday, January 26th at The Riot Room in Kansas City, Missouri

Friday, January 27th at Nathan P. Murphy’s in Columbia, Missouri

Saturday, January 28th at The WareHouse in Clarksville, Tennessee

Thursday, February 2nd at Penny Road Pub in Barrington, Illinois

Friday, February 3rd at Temptations in Franklin Park, Illinois

Saturday, February 4th at Lights and Sirens in Clayton, Ohio

Sunday, February 5th at Sadie Rene’s in Canton, Ohio

Thursday, February 9th at 5th Street Pub in Parksburg, West Virginia

Friday, February 10th at The Wander Inn in Mishawaka, Indiana

Saturday, February 11th at The Back Bar in Janesville, Wisconsin