With Faded Splendor, Hundredth sound like a band fully embracing reinvention—not cautiously, but with total conviction. Once staples of the melodic hardcore scene, they’ve long since drifted from their aggressive origins, and this record cements just how far they’ve traveled. Gone are the walls of distortion and shouted catharsis of Free or Let Go. In their place stands something hazy, nostalgic, and strangely beautiful—a swirl of ’90s electronica, Britpop shimmer, and shoegaze reverb, refracted through a restless modern lens.
The opener, “Curve,” sets the tone immediately. A pulsing beat reminiscent of early techno drives layers of lush, reverb-soaked guitars and deep bass grooves. Hundredth have traded riffs for textures; their aggression has evolved into atmosphere. The chorus doesn’t explode—it blooms, spreading wide instead of cutting deep, as if the band is painting emotion rather than performing it.
Not every experiment hits as hard. “Big Love” reaches for anthemic pop-rock grandeur but never fully lands. The drums feel hollow, and the chorus—while clearly built to soar—comes off like a B-side from Turnstile’s glossy era. It’s ambitious, but it doesn’t connect emotionally. Conversely, when Hundredth lean back into grit, things click. “Dark Side” channels the jagged spirit of the Pixies, letting the bass lead while fuzzy guitars grind underneath. It’s raw, alive, and perfectly paced—one of the record’s highlights.
“Blitz” showcases the band’s improved sense of space. They let the bass breathe, pulling the guitars back to give the rhythm room to move. It’s got that indie coolness that recalls bands like DIIV or Nothing, yet the drumming still pulses with the urgency of their hardcore roots. The chorus opens up big—arena-ready but never overproduced.
Where Faded Splendor gets most intriguing is in its weirder corners. “Waste” layers acoustic strums with warped, pitch-shifted vocals and even a few nu-metal scratches, creating something that feels like a half-remembered dream from early 2000s alt-radio. It shouldn’t work—but it does, in a hypnotic way. “Blur” swims in reverb and ethereal distance, evoking Bring Me the Horizon’s most experimental textures.
Not every risk pays off. “Glimmer” drowns in synths and glitchy beats, but the vocals never rise above the mix—it’s all atmosphere, no anchor. The title track, “Faded Splendor,” closes the album with delicate restraint—soft guitars, drifting synths, breathy vocals—but it feels more like a slow fade-out than a triumphant resolution.
Still, when Hundredth find their balance, they shine. “Dazzle” might be the album’s most affecting song: simple, airy, and surprisingly tender. Built on acoustic layers and ambient synths, it finds beauty in understatement. The vocal delivery even flirts with pop—smooth, shimmering, confident—and somehow, it works.
In the end, Faded Splendor feels like a band chasing evolution in real time. It’s a record suspended between ambition and execution—at times disjointed, but often mesmerizing. When it hits, it’s immersive, dreamy, and alive with texture. When it misses, it drifts into background haze. But whether you’re nostalgic for their hardcore past or curious about where they’re headed next, one truth rings clear: Hundredth have no interest in looking back.
NOTABLE TRACKS:
Curve
Waste
Dazzle