Formation, Heart in Hand EP and Only Memories (2008–2012) The band was formed by vocalist Charles "Charlie" Holmes, shortly after he left
death metal band
Trigger the Bloodshed in August 2008, together with drummer Nick Kendall. They recruited their friends, guitarists Carl Martin and James Broderick, who in turn got their workmate, guitarist Edward "Ed" Hartwell, to join the band. Martin soon switched to bass, while Broderick left the band and was replaced by Hartwell's ex-bandmate Ollie Wilson. On 1 January 2009 Heart in Hand
self-released their first record, the
Heart in Hand EP, produced by Stu McKay (formerly of
Eternal Lord). This was followed by their debut studio album
Only Memories, released through
Siege of Amida Records on 23 May 2011. Midway through the album's writing process in 2010, Kendall left the band for personal reasons and was replaced by Duncan Andrews from
Bristol.
Only Memories was praised as a "clever, highly-accomplished and refined hardcore record" by Tom Aylott of
Rock Sound. Several
guest vocalists appear on the album, including Ian Fike of
It Prevails (with whom the band had toured prior to its release) Andrews was dropped soon after the release and replaced by Samuel "Sam" Brennan, the founding drummer of
The Eyes of a Traitor, whom Heart in Hand had also toured with and who went on hiatus in late 2011. Martin has also since left the band and was replaced by Gavin Thane.
Almost There, A Beautiful White and dissolution (2013–2015) Heart in Hand's second studio album
Almost There was released through Siege of Amida on 11 February 2013, featuring James Leatherbarrow of
Death of an Artist on the song "Cuts and Bruises", Mikey Chapman and Sam Douglas of
Mallory Knox on "Maybe" and Dani Winter-Bates of
Bury Tomorrow on "Broken Lights". Music videos were released for "Life Goes On" and "Almost There", The band described the album as having "more diversity than [their] previous releases" as they "tried different things musically as well as vocally" and Rob Sayce of
Rock Sound reviewed it favorably, saying that "[with] sky-high tempos, delicate interludes and the odd moment of spine-tingling poignancy, [
A Beautiful White] is more ambitious than your average melodic hardcore fare and all the better for it", Ollie Wilson also shared new music they had made. == Members ==