In the music industry it’s not uncommon to see children of prominent musicians pursuing their own careers, but in recent years I’ve come across quite a few that have gone in very differing stylistic directions from their parents. Sometimes there is overlap and the output is rooted in the genre their parent popularized while bringing in modern elements (Wolfgang Van Halen), but then you have musicians like Tron Austin who came from a hip-hop and pop background and opted to go off in more of an alternative and rock direction. Jager Henry falls into the latter category, to the point that he’s opted to leave his last name (Bonham) off his music releases and instead use his first and middle name. As the son of Jason Bonham, Jager comes from a family known for their drumming in the rock space but he’s opted to head off on his own path as a singer and songwriter exploring everything from pop punk and metalcore to nu metal and alternative rock. On his debut EP Heart of Thorns Jager Henry covers a lot of ground, moving from upbeat and bouncier ideas to darker and grittier ones. There’s room to further explore a lot of these musical styles, but there’s plenty to like about what Heart of Thorns has to offer.
One of the main things that drew me to Heart of Thorns is how it feels like a love letter to a lot of the music that was popular around the early to mid-2000’s, and Jager Henry hops around stylistically in ways that bring different bands to mind depending on the song. The title track has a pounding bass and drum line and bouncier guitar work that falls somewhere between hard rock, pop punk, and emo with some electronic elements added in for good measure. I found myself thinking of earlier From First to Last with some metalcore near the end when things shift into heavier, chugging breakdowns. But it doesn’t take long for Jager to shift gears, as “Déjà vu” immediately pivots to the lighter end of the spectrum and has more of a straightforward pop rock/punk vibe. Closing track “Mortal Sacrifice” transforms the sound yet again, going for a darker and grittier sound that feels like it’s pulled right out of late 90s/early 2000s nu-metal. I can appreciate that Jager Henry can pull from so many different influences on a single release without falling too close to one particular band, and the push/pull of heavy and melodic moments does make for a varied listen. Admittedly a few of the songs do come and go without really leaving a lasting impression, and I think this comes down to some of them being just a bit too straightforward and uniform. “Lighthouse” and “Mortal Sacrifice” are the two that stood out the most to me, as the former blends in alternative rock style melodies with a booming metallic foundation while the latter’s nu-metal vibes shake up the formula a bit more on its verses and choruses. The production is also worth mentioning, as the material has a layer of polish to it that enhances the melodies without dampening the impact of the heavier instrumentation.
The instrumentals aren’t the only aspect of Jager Henry’s music that covers a lot of ground, as there are a variety of different pitches used on the vocal front. While Jager tends to skew a bit more towards the pop punk and hard/alternative rock side of things, moving from softer and airier singing to more powerful and grittier ones, he shakes things up from song to song and also throws in some post hardcore type screaming. Early on the scream/sung sections are from guest inclusions, as the title track pivots over to Lil Lotus around the halfway point, but it sounds like the screams on “Bite Down” and “Mortal Sacrifice” are done by Jager. The way that the vocals adapt to fit what the instrumentals are doing works well, as one song may have a bit softer and brighter tone while others get much darker and heavier in both tone and pitch.
A few of the songs didn’t fully grab me over repeat listens, but Jager Henry’s ability to move between pop punk/emo, alternative rock, and even nu-metal is an appealing blend of musical styles. There is room to explore even more of these styles and shake things up a bit more, but this EP is a solid foundation that Jager and company can build off of in the future. If you’re a fan of everything from 90s nu-metal to 2000’s post hardcore and pop punk, check this one out as it may just surprise you.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg