I cannot count how many times I have had to defend this band. And I'll never tire of it.
These guys are more original than 90% of the other bands in the hardcore/metal world right now. Their riffs are original, and their lyrics contain as much depth as the listener wants them to. Consider the lyric, "Everyone around me is a ghost." That line is one of my all-time favorites; consider its implications. The same goes for the song "There's A Bat". Sure, on the surface it may sound like the most basic, uninspired song ever; yet I wrote an entire analysis paper on it.
A lot of people complain about the fact that they use breakdowns. What's your point? The breakdown has been a staple of metalcore for years. Besides, HHLL's breakdowns are creative, and, unlike most bands in the scene right now, not the cornerstone of their music.
The greatest testament to HHLL is the fact that they do not take themselves 100% seriously. They know that they're playing relatively basic music; they don't claim to be virtuosos or even innovators. They also have a great sense of humor, something which becomes obvious both in their tongue-in-cheek lyrics and their live performance. Humor was one of the original pillars of hardcore; it was lost somewhere along the way. HHLL, while I'm sure they've never heard Gorilla Biscuits, have brought this comedic edge back to hardcore.
Whenever I encounter someone who dislikes HHLL, 90% of the time it's due to their vocals. I can understand this; the guy sounds like he wants to die on every song. If you don't like it, don't listen to it. However, it does not make them a bad band.
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