5/10

Since their infancy, The Xcerts have always been looking for a niche in the rock market they can call their own. Their previous releases have seen them experiment with complicated riffs and time-signature changes in order for them to seem different to the average run-of-the-mill outfits. Yet while those times since emerge on occasion throughout this new release, the majority of this record remains fairly safe within its sound, showing that the band may now be looking more towards a traditional pop-rock sound than anything else.

Opening up with the humble ballad 'The Dark', the album aims to draw you in gently before opening up the killer riffs and heavy breakdowns that make up the bulk of its sound. Yet as it is made clear from its title, 'Hold On To Your Heart' is a throughly romantically-led release. Each track seems to toe the line between super mushy lyrics and their own naturally anthemic nature, leaving very little room for experimentation or anything that moves against the grain.

And while we must applaud them for keeping a cohesive and succinctly written release on track, this is far from something new and interesting. Each track feels like a rehashed version of something we have heard before, and just doesn't quite grab our attention like they used to before.