“I don’t need an army with the ocean at my back,” chants Bennett Mains early in Songs of Freedom, the latest album from Holding on to Sound. Whether Las Vegas’ pre-eminent punk outfit needs one or not, an army seems likely to amass, as word of the trio’s continued development spreads beyond the city’s borders.

More

Holding on to Sound: Songs of Freedom

Band Guide

(H.O.T.S.) Holding On To Sound

Beyond the Weekly

H.O.T.S. MySpace

Melodically, Freedom melds aggressive hardcore and nimble ska and reggae without coming off too harsh or too soft for a potentially wide, if open-minded, audience to enjoy (dial up standout opener “War” on the band’s MySpace page for evidence). The 20-somethings don’t mess around lyrically, either, asking “Is there hate where your heart should be?” near the start, and continuing to challenge oppression, isolation and conflict over 48 minutes that hold nothing back musically or emotionally.

In better times, a disc of this caliber might have had well-known labels lining up. If there’s justice in this world, Holding on to Sound will still get that shot, though judging from Songs of Freedom, H.O.T.S. would no doubt rather there simply be justice in this world.