Album Review: Forever Came Calling - Hope Passion EP

Whilst sentiment and passion can be a superb aid to post-hardcore and emo, Forever Came Calling lack the focus and originality to successfully channel their feelings into their music. Instead, we’re left with an EP of uninspired melodies and clichéd emo-instrumentation. It might not have always been this way; ten years ago, they could have quite easily strolled down the path Taking Back Sunday and Brand New paved so well, but Forever Came Calling’s late arrival leaves them sounding tired and disposable.

'Hope Passion' may carry some hefty maladies, but there are some exciting moments: the chorus to 'Basements and Beaches' drips with enough angst and energy to leave an impression, and their acoustic farewell in the form of 'I Am an Astronaut' showcases some pleasant harmonies, but it still presents itself as 'Your Favourite Weapon'’s flawed younger brother.

Then we come to the lyrics, the centrepiece of any post-hardcorek/emo outfit: they could be fantastic, but the garbled frequency of their deliverance is often too piercing and too difficult to understand, sacrificing their lyrical clarity in order to express the emotion behind their words. Ah well, at least they sound like they mean it.

It’s a nice effort, but there is nothing here that you won’t have heard a thousand times before.

2/5

'Hope Passion' EP by Forever Came Calling is available now.

Forever Came Calling on MySpace

Alex Howick