The devotion to the X is strong with these fellas.

Time X Heist have built their identity around the foundation of classic straight-edge youth crew hardcore, but The Measure of My Devotion shows a band becoming increasingly comfortable pushing that foundation into heavier and darker territory. Hailing from Denver, Colorado, and active since 2022, the band deliver a compact 12-song debut full-length through Indecision Records that runs just under twenty minutes. That brevity ends up being one of the record's biggest strengths because Time X Heist rarely waste time getting to the point. There is a directness to this album that feels very faithful to the roots of youth crew, while the heavier riffs, thicker low end, and darker atmosphere give the band enough personality to move beyond simple nostalgia.

“Stay The Course” immediately establishes the mission. Sharp guitars, deep grooving drums, thick bass, and huge gang vocals come together in a way that feels almost designed for a crowded hardcore room. The guitar tone has that classic youth crew snap, while the vocals carry enough conviction to make the message feel sincere rather than simply performative. It is short, direct, and energetic, and the band understand that hardcore doesn't need a long introduction before throwing you into the action. “I Have Nothing To Declare But My Genius” keeps that momentum going with ripping guitars, tight drumming, and a buzzing bass tone, and the fact that the song disappears almost as quickly as it arrives works in its favor. Time X Heist understand that a good hardcore song doesn't need to explain every idea for three or four minutes.

“Carry The Flame” is where the album really starts showing some of its range. The opening drum roll and popping snare immediately stand out, and the arrangement allows the drums to carry much of the first half before the guitar work gradually takes over. That gives the track a stronger rhythmic identity than some of the more straightforward cuts, while the positive and anthemic quality keeps it firmly connected to youth crew traditions. It is also a good example of the band's ability to make relatively simple ingredients feel bigger through arrangement. Rather than throwing more and more parts into the song, they know when to let one element take the lead.

“Undefined” strips things back again, using tight riffs, thick drums, low fuzzy bass, and higher-pitched shouted vocals to create a song that is uncomplicated but effective. That's really the story of The Measure of My Devotion throughout its best moments. The band are not interested in proving how technically complicated they can be. They are interested in creating movement, energy, and riffs that feel natural in a hardcore setting. “Force It Down” takes that basic formula and turns up the aggression, with faster riffing, locked-in drums, and buzzing bass before the band drop into a much heavier groove toward the back end. The harsher screams give the song another level of urgency, and this is one of the clearest moments where Time X Heist successfully turn their youth crew foundation into something heavier without losing the original identity.

“Thief In The Night” slows things down considerably and gives the album a necessary change of pace. The deep drums, buzzing bass, and thicker groove create a darker atmosphere, while the comparatively thinner guitars allow the low end to carry more of the song. That's an important choice because an album this short and fast could easily become a blur of similar hardcore songs. Time X Heist avoid that problem by occasionally allowing the rhythm section to become the main attraction. The songs don't need to be dramatically different to provide contrast; sometimes changing the balance between guitars, bass, and drums is enough.

That approach becomes more important on “For Your Approval,” which starts with deep, rumbling bass and drums underneath bold guitars before initially settling into a more restrained rhythm. The gang vocals don't hit quite as hard as they do elsewhere, and the first half feels like it's missing some of the urgency established by the opening tracks. Fortunately, the song develops as it goes, with more ripping riffs, deeper kicks, and increased energy eventually bringing the track to life. By the time it returns to the darker groove toward the end, the song feels considerably more complete. It's a good example of both the strengths and limitations of Time X Heist's straightforward approach: the band know how to establish a groove, but sometimes they need a little more development to make that groove feel fully satisfying.

Then “El Cyclone” completely changes the temperature. Slow, cold-sounding guitars make the track initially feel like it could belong to a classic heavy-metal record or even some darker 90s rock album before the drums and heavier riffs enter. Eventually the guitar work develops further and even introduces a solo, providing one of the album's most obvious opportunities for the musicians to show another side of themselves. It could easily have felt out of place on a youth crew record, but instead it adds personality. The instrumental approach makes the album feel less like a strict genre exercise and more like a band with a broader set of musical interests. It is also a welcome reminder that Time X Heist don't have to stay locked into the most obvious version of hardcore to remain convincing.

“More Than Ever” immediately jumps back into the core sound with deep rolling drums, lean guitar riffs, low buzzing bass, and vocals that lock closely into the rhythm. The song is good, but its extremely short runtime makes it almost feel like a sprint. Just as you're getting settled into the riff, it's already gone. That isn't necessarily a flaw because it fits the band's commitment to economy, but it does contribute to the feeling that some songs function more like sharp bursts than fully developed statements. “Shoulder To Shoulder” gives the record more breathing room, using washed-out guitars, deep bass and drums, and distant vocals to create a slightly more atmospheric moment. The middle section where the guitar rings out over the rhythm section gives the song a more reflective quality before the backing vocals restore that familiar sense of communal hardcore energy.

The album's biggest statement comes with “This Is Not A Trend.” The slower opening of popping drums, deep bass, and ringing guitars gradually builds before the stronger backing vocals and shouted delivery bring the track forward. What really makes this song work is the way Time X Heist allow the riffs to become lower, dirtier, and more metallic without abandoning their youth crew foundation. The breakdown is one of the clearest moments on the record where the band's heavier instincts and their traditional hardcore identity meet successfully. Bass, drums, and guitars lock together, and suddenly the whole song feels considerably heavier than the material that came before it. This is exactly the kind of evolution that works for Time X Heist: they aren't abandoning what they are good at, they're simply making the core ingredients hit harder.

Finally, “Aristotle Don’t Shine Shoes” closes the record with its longest song. Deep bass and drums establish a slower foundation before the sharper high-strung guitar work arrives, and the backing vocals give the track a strong anthemic character. The band slow things down again halfway through, building tension with deeper drums and ringing guitars and creating the expectation that the record is about to deliver one enormous final payoff. The passion is definitely there, but the actual ending doesn't quite reach the level that the buildup promises. The riffs and drums feel somewhat flatter than they do on some of the album's strongest material, and I found myself wanting the final moments to hit harder. Still, the song does bring together many of the record's defining characteristics: sharp guitars, deep rhythm work, gang vocals, and that sense of collective conviction that runs through almost everything Time X Heist do.

One of the strongest aspects of The Measure of My Devotion is the bass. It has a surprisingly important role throughout the album, often sitting underneath the guitars with a buzzing, low-end presence that helps give even the simplest riffs some depth. On songs like “Thief In The Night,” “For Your Approval,” and “This Is Not A Trend,” the bass becomes a major part of the groove rather than just filling in the bottom end. That makes the album feel heavier without requiring the guitars to constantly become more distorted or complicated.

The drums are similarly strong. There is plenty of straightforward hardcore drumming, but the performances have enough punch to keep the songs physical. The popping snare on “Carry The Flame,” the deeper kick patterns on “Force It Down,” and the slower rhythmic approach on “Thief In The Night” all show a rhythm section that understands when to emphasize impact and when to simply keep the songs moving. There are a few moments where the patterns feel familiar, but that familiarity rarely becomes a major problem because the arrangements remain concise.

The guitars are where the album maintains its strongest connection to classic youth crew. The riffs are sharp, fast, and direct, with plenty of those high-register, tightly constructed patterns that immediately place the record in that tradition. But there is also a growing willingness to bring in more metallic textures, heavier chugs, and darker tones. “El Cyclone” is the most obvious example, while “This Is Not A Trend” shows how effectively those heavier instincts can be incorporated into a more traditional hardcore song. The band aren't trying to become a metalcore act, but they clearly enjoy the extra weight those influences can provide.

The vocals are perhaps the element that most clearly separates the record from simply being a retro youth crew exercise. There is plenty of classic hardcore shouting, but the delivery carries real conviction, particularly when the band move into the heavier material. The gang vocals reinforce that communal quality while the harsher sections give the record more aggression. Time X Heist aren't relying on elaborate vocal techniques, but they don't need to. The sincerity behind the delivery does a lot of the work.

That sincerity is probably what keeps The Measure of My Devotion from feeling like a nostalgia trip. The straight-edge themes, the emphasis on self-discipline and conviction, and the band's focus on hardcore community are all central to the record, but they don't feel like an attempt to cosplay the late 80s or early 90s. The band are taking that musical foundation and giving it a current perspective. The heavier moments feel like natural extensions of the band's identity rather than attempts to sound more modern simply for the sake of it.

The production also helps. The record is clean enough that the different instruments are easy to distinguish, but it retains enough grit to prevent the album from feeling overly polished. The bass remains audible, the drums have punch, and the guitars retain their sharp edge. The biggest weakness is that the gang vocals don't always have the same impact from song to song, and there are a few moments where the overall presentation could benefit from a little more dynamic contrast. But those are relatively minor issues.

What I like most about The Measure of My Devotion is that Time X Heist understand their own strengths. They aren't trying to become a technical band. They aren't abandoning youth crew. They aren't forcing modern production tricks into every song. Instead, they're finding small ways to expand a style that has already been around for decades. Sometimes that means a heavier riff. Sometimes it means a darker groove. Sometimes it's an instrumental like “El Cyclone.” Sometimes it's simply changing the pace or allowing the drums and bass to become more prominent.

That balance isn't perfect. There are a few songs where the straightforward approach could have used another twist, and some of the material doesn't make quite as lasting an impression as the stronger cuts. The short runtime helps prevent those issues from becoming major problems, but it also means some of the songs can feel almost over before you've fully settled into them. The closing stretch could also have used a slightly bigger payoff.

Still, the record succeeds at what it sets out to do. The Measure of My Devotion is direct, energetic, positive, and heavy enough to keep the band's youthful enthusiasm from feeling overly nostalgic. “Stay The Course,” “I Have Nothing To Declare But My Genius,” “Carry The Flame,” “Undefined,” “Force It Down,” “Thief In The Night,” “For Your Approval,” “El Cyclone,” “More Than Ever,” “Shoulder To Shoulder,” “This Is Not A Trend,” and “Aristotle Don’t Shine Shoes” collectively show a band that understands the importance of brevity, groove, community, and conviction while gradually adding more weight to the formula.

The Measure of My Devotion isn't revolutionary, and Time X Heist aren't pretending it is. The record works because it understands what makes youth crew and straight-edge hardcore so effective in the first place and then pushes those ideas just far enough to keep things interesting. The riffs are sharp, the bass has plenty of presence, the drums hit hard, the vocals have conviction, and the band's heavier instincts are becoming increasingly apparent.

For a debut full-length, that's a strong foundation.

Time X Heist aren't simply looking backward. They're taking an old hardcore language and figuring out how they want to speak it in the present.