Whenever I open a “rock” promo I always fear that I’m going to either encounter a Nickelback-esque project that somehow decided Metal Blast was their target audience, or just a pop band that considers itself heavy because they added a couple of distorted guitars in their mix (I’m looking at you, Ravage Rose). Forever Still are none of that.
Save Me, the third EP in the band’s catalog, is a remarkable piece of work, because it seems to go out of its way to showcase the band’s versatility. Instead of just finding a comfortable sound and sticking to it, what they have done here is to use these 3 songs to demonstrate the range of sounds and emotions that they are able to convey. This is how, for example, “Awake the Fire” gives off some hints of the kind of melodies you’d expect in a HIM album, while “Breathe In” has some metalcore elements (coupled with Maja Schonning‘s excellent growling), and “Save Me” conveys the kind of melancholy you’d come to expect from a Lacuna Coil album.
For a band that has been compared with Lacuna Coil (just check their song “Scars“, Forever Still were at risk of just coming off as derivative, and so using this EP to showcase their range was a great idea. While this may not be the kind of thing you’ll be moshing to, there’s enough space to headbang. I’m looking forward to what they can do with a full release.