Forever Still - 'Tied Down' Album Review

Tracklist:

1. Scars

2. Once Upon A Nightmare

3. Miss Madness

4. Awake The Fire

5. Breathe In

6. Save Me

7. Your Light

8. Alone

9. Break The Glass

10. Tied Down

Forever Still are a rock band hailing from Copenhagen, Denmark. 'Tied Down' comes after a whole host of lineup and personal issues for the band. 'Tied Down' marks Forever Still's debut album on a record label, (Nuclear Blast) it combines two of their previous EP's alongside new material to provide a whole host of material for the eager fans.

Opening track 'Scars' is a spectacle, with influences from a wide range of genres, with a fast paced instrumental element to match vocalist Maja Shining's shrieks with the lyrical content of the lullaby-like verses. However, it is also impossible to ignore the obvious comparison to the likes of Flyleaf & Evanescence, however with it being Forever Still's debut album, they are very likely still looking to find their own sound so it is perfectly acceptable to draw influence from their idols and inspirations, on the other hand this is nothing short of a compliment as Forever Still have the talent to be comparable to the leading female-fronted bands in the genre. 'Once Upon A Nightmare' is one of, in my opinion, the standout songs of the album, with the shuddering introduction proceeded with an electronic backing track matched with somewhat distorted vocals.

Sadly, the next few songs on the album at points feel like listening to one big song, or filler, with not much of it being stand-out. There is however, no disputing that vocalist Shining put everything and anything she had into the lyrical content of the album, it's also very evident that she was going through some tough times at times of writing, with the final chorus of 'Break The Glass' stating 'to convince myself I'm real.' This could be a typical example of a reviewer looking at something too in depth or examining too hard, but 'Tied Down' is packed with such great content lyrically that it's hard to believe Shining wouldn't have put everything she had into every song, either way, 'Break The Glass' is the perfect emobidement of anxiety and depression but also carries the message that there is always hope. Much in the way Forever Still will find their way and their own sound, 'Tied Down' carries the message that even when things get tough, you will always find a way to persevere.

In conclusion, there is no doubt that this band certainly has talent, and the hard working attitude needed to succeed in the music world, where there are many bands with talent looking to breakthrough, Forever Still definitely have the talent to do it, they just need to find their own sound for their next release, as 'Tied Down' is definitely good, but it's just too hard to overlook the influence from other bands.

Forever Still are definitely a band that have a lot of work to do, but the talent to do it, definitely one to watch in the future.