EP REVIEW: Forgotten Sons - Forgotten Sons
Shetland’s Forgotten Sons take a dive into mental health battles, our reliance on social media, feelings of loneliness and how sometimes all we want is someone to take the time to understand on their stunning self titled debut EP. The lads are bursting with raw passion, heartfelt words, big riffs and infectious choruses.
'Flipside' is an epic slice of melodic, catchy, anthemic, riff heavy pop punk that's a complete earworm. It offers contemplative partly macabre, partly upbeat lyrics. Like a light in the dark. We’ve previously reviewed flipside, see our full thoughts here.
'Socials' is more of a jangling indie rock tune with a surfy edge. Beaming with hooks, glorious harmonies and heavy thumping drums. The lyrics are so relevant to modern society detailing just how much we rely on social media, needing to have hundreds of likes just to feel loved. I think the line "a generation lost its way" is particularly poignant, it's how I feel most days when I log in Facebook and see people living every aspect of their lives through a computer screen, I find myself wondering if this is really what life's become.
'Wasteside Mindset' takes on a more chanting punk vocal with stomping, battering drums. There's epic, bold guitars and a killer chorus. The lyrics deal with broken promises, the apprehension of hopelessness and the notion of feeling like you're "hanging round" watching life pass by. It's a passionate listen delivered with integrity and magnitude. It's the grandest, most musically indulgent track on the EP.
'I'm Fine' is a beautiful acoustic track that shows a more tender side to the band. It's a sombre listen, a cry for help. The feeling you've come to the end of what you can cope with and while you're proclaiming you're fine all you really want is someone to reach out and offer support and comfort. It's a stunning vocal that pours with emotion. It's absolutely heartbreaking and brought a lump to my throat.
In a nutshell, Forgotten Sons are music for the lost and the wounded. It's like someone who understands, who can see you're falling apart and offers you a shoulder to lean on. They mix genres and tempos, they break through stereotypes and most definitely know how to write an anthem! They're confident, authentic and an absolute gem of a band!
