Single reviewsThe Other Side Reviews

heavy on the heart. – Pretty Pills (2025)

Described as “music for the beautifully broken”, US-based foursome heavy on the heart. weaves the rawness of 2000s pop-punk and emo sounds with the rawness of pure emotion, resonating with listeners on a deeper level of intimacy. While each of their songs harnesses the power of this jagged, vulnerable, broken state of being, it also looks at the beauty and pleasure beyond the tragic pain. With several critically acclaimed singles, heavy on the heart. brings us timeless themes and messages bound in hard-hitting pop-punk. Today, they draw us in with the song, ‘Pretty Pills’.

Following the well-received 2024 singles ‘Say It All/Said Enough’ and ‘Smokin’ All The Weed’, heavy on the heart. saunters into 2025 with ‘Pretty Pills’. While carving an identity in the US rock music scene, ‘Pretty Pills’ sees the group leaning strongly toward the sounds of old-school Paramore, tinged by the heavier rock intonations of Thirty Seconds To Mars. All grim and grit, you walk the line between pop-punk and alternative rock; however, each style drags you down with raw, rugged grit within a moving melody.

While Nick Kolokathis pounds his drums, Andrew Nicolae weaves through the sonic tapestry with a bold bass. Costas Themistocleous soars across ‘Pretty Pills’ with a dynamic guitar, but it is Nikki Wilmes’ vocals that bring a golden ribbon to the party with rich, full tones. Interestingly, as much as producer Gary Cloni presents a tight, sophisticated arrangement, the band offer a rush of vulnerability and fragility to the track.

Unpicking the complex world of self-destruction and emotional dependency, heavy on the heart. pushes forward toward the pain and turmoil; it approaches the challenging tragedy, but not with trepidation, rather with open arms acceptance. Sincere in its gut-punching, skin-tingling sense of haunting desperation, ‘Pretty Pills’ showcases the band’s way of turning pain into power.



In addition to the single, heavy on the heart. released an official music video for ‘Pretty Pills’. You can view the video below and/or on their YouTube channel. Please note that this video uses lighting effects that can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is highly advised.


THIS VIDEO USES LIGHTING EFFECTS THAT CAN TRIGGER SEIZURES IN PEOPLE WITH PHOTOSENSITIVE EPILEPSY
VIEWER DISCRETION IS RECOMMENDED

Find out more about heavy on the heart. on their official websiteFacebookX (formerly Twitter)Instagram and Spotify.

This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator


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