Founded early in 2007, Strike of the Heart are a power-pop group hailing from New Hope, Pennsylvania. The goal of their music is simple: create something sincere while evading the adulterated pretensions that weigh down so many bands' music. The sound of the band is entirely its own: the most immediate thing to hit the listener is Jared Bardugone’s voice: the rising tenor punctuates every phrase with the utmost emotion, utilizing catchy melodies and plenty of pop hooks while retaining a completely unique sound. The next part of Strike of the Heart’s melodic content is Evan Chen’s lead guitar playing: shimmering and jangly, the guitar weaves throughout the music with a finesse second to few, staying subtle while still accenting all the important parts of the music. Andrew West’s punk-informed power chords provide the harmonic backing, while Chris Simon’s relaxed, simple melodic style compliments it. All of this is sustained by the complex rhythms laid down by Jared Mancuso: ranging from four-on-the-floor dance beats to fill-injected, straight-up rock drumming, plenty of groundwork is laid to keep the music churning forward. The best points of comparison for a listener are the pop stylings of Fall Out Boy, Weezer, The Killers, and Motion City Soundtrack, but the band blends a whole slew of influences, ranging from the original pop-rock of The Beatles to the simple, catchy, anthemic sounds of pop-punk to the odd indie beauty that is Sigur Rós. In August of 2007, the band released its eight-track debut EP, Strike of the Heart. Leading up to the release of the EP, the band played shows in New York City and also won a Battle of the Bands at the Trocadero in Philadelphia, beating out dozens of other unsigned bands from around the area. Other gigs have included charity events such as Alex's Lemonade Stand and Relay for Life around the Philadelphia area. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.