Torture Tunes
Forever Still; one the hardest working bands out there, are releasing an album in three separate EP installments. They released the first EP, Scars, back in October and they’ve recently released the second of three EPs – Save Me. My plan was to wait until after the third EP was released and review the album in its’ entirety. This is still my intention, but I will give you a taste of this impressive album in the works with a review of Forever Still’s second EP Save Me.
This three-track offering kicks of with the mid-paced melodic rocker “Awake the Fire”, a solid tune with powerful soaring vocals delivered by Forever Still’s phenomenal frontwoman Maja Schønning. It also showcases a simple yet memorable reoccurring guitar riff along with some flashy guitar fills throughout. It’s a decent song with a nice crescendo (in the form of a sustained note from Maja) although I much prefer the second and third track.
Track two “Breathe In” is my favorite. It’s a much more dynamic song with a great groove and a very catchy chorus hook. Maja unleashes the full gamut of her incredible vocal range and capabilities in this addictive tune, including a few gut-wrenching screams! Forever Still’s songwriting style is simple and effective, favoring melodic memorability and strong supporting rhythm over complex and often forgettable riffing.
The title track “Save Me” is a bittersweet power ballad and, not unlike “Breathe In”, it is enhanced with the faintest hint of electronica. I really enjoyed the slightly asymmetrical beat in the verses. Even more so than the previous tracks, Forever Still’s sound is very accessible and radio friendly, highlighting the mainstream “pop-potential” of this act should they choose to pursue this direction. Closing the track with the sound of an arriving siren was a nice touch to elevate the tension, perhaps hinting at something to come in the next installment?
Forever Still’s main focus is to have their music heard, and to achieve this they are offering their music with a “name your price” option from their Bandcamp page. Having interviewed Maja Schønning way back when we first launched HMS, I’m very excited to watch this band grow and evolve as they continue to attract new listenership. Both the Scars and Save Me EPs are available on their bandcamp page, and they are definitely worth purchasing.
More to come from Forever Still soon…
Richard Leggatt, HMS
Older reviews