INTRODUCING: Forlorn
The British heavy music scene is in extremely rude health as of late. From ROLO TOMASSI to CONJURER, EMPLOYED TO SERVE to ARCHITECTS, GARGANJUA to VIDEO NASTIES; the entire spectrum of heavy music is spawning wave after wave of breathtaking young talent. Having formed just over twelve months ago, sextet FORLORN enter a scene that is as competitive as it is strong. Fortunately, for this promising outfit, they boast a sound that is utterly jaw-dropping.
Walking a tightrope that swings from the metallic fury of metalcore and hardcore to ethereal passages of post rock, FORLORN are quite the unique sounding proposition. “I always wanted to start something that was thematically similar to bands like GOJIRA and ARCHITECTS but was sonically unique,” vocalist William Young tells us. “Being influenced by a range of music, I had focused the sound on blending the more chaotic side of metalcore with bands such as WHILE SHE SLEEPS, EMPLOYED TO SERVE and CODE ORANGE but also bringing a progressive/post metal edge with influences like CULT OF LUNA, OATHBREAKER and ALCEST where Megan’s [Elliott, vocals] vocals could shine. Something that was both raw yet carried gravitas.”
It’s an intriguing mix and the fusion of these two varying elements could have spelt disaster for FORLORN before they even got started, but fortune favours the brave and the band have struck gold with their unique sounding approach. Debut double single Erased / Emotionless (which we had the privilege of premiering) demonstrates the band’s glistening qualities as the ferocious riffing on Emotionless would sit right at home on a CODE ORANGE album whilst Erased‘s fragile beauty showcases the band’s ambition to transcend their soundscape to new pastures. “I want to walk the line between what people expect from a metal band and more avant-garde aspects of music that I love,” guitarist Edd Kerton explains of the band’s desire to think outside of the box. “We’ve been finding it difficult to pigeon hole ourselves into a genre with these two songs. Not that it’s necessary but it’s more of a positive than a negative in my mind. I think art is more exciting and creates more of a connection when it’s open for interpretation.”
By being open for interpretation and refusing to pigeon-hole themselves into one sub-genre of heavy music’s vast umbrella, Edd has indicated an interesting point about the mission objective for FORLORN. Indeed, when you think about it, some of the finest examples of bands (not just homegrown talent but further afield) are those who dare to challenge our fundamental understanding of what it means to be a heavy band. It’s a mature method of approach to crafting music and given each member of FORLORN‘s vast experience within the music industry, it comes at no surprise that the band are ready to hit the ground running.
“When we formed FORLORN last year, we didn’t really know what to expect,” Megan Elliott says. “We knew that we wanted to go in to the studio, record some material and eventually release it but we honestly had no idea what the end result would look like or how we wanted to go about setting the whole thing in motion. All six of us have been in bands before/are in other bands or have worked in the music industry in some capacity – Will is also in DEFENCES, Edd is in DIABOLUS, Jay used to play for GHOULS amongst other bands and I used to work for Basick Records and Nuclear Blast. With us all having a pretty decent knowledge of the metal scene and some of the acts out there currently smashing it, we knew that we needed to create something a little different. We also knew that we owed it to ourselves to create something different, something unique and something that would totally push us out of our comfort zones on all levels.”
And there it is, another string in FORLORN‘s collective bow. By having an understanding to create something different to stand out from the crowd, amongst their wealth of experience as a unit, FORLORN are a cut above most bands striving to make their opening statement of intent. Beyond their big ambitions and beyond their aspirations to cement their place in a scene booming with creativity is a band that is ready to make their mark. And judging from the sheer quality on offer with their debut material, they deserve every ounce of success.
Erased / Emotionless is out now via self-release.
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