Forrest’s debut album ‘Soluna’ is a statement of intent. This young band from South Wales formed in 2010 and have already released an EP, ‘Before You Go’ and a split with Ireland’s The Winter Passing (this is great, too. Check it out). ‘Soluna’, though, takes them one giant step forward. Sounding at times like Balance and Composure and Brand New, this record is ambitious and driven and, man, it delivers.
‘Ambition’ is not just what the band has a huge amount of; it’s the opener to the record. It starts off slow, big and anthemic as a guitar drowning in reverb picks away before the full band jumps in and spells out exactly what the record will be about.
The harmonies throughout ‘Soluna’ are amazing and the vocals are so strong – they are distinctive and help set Forrest apart. The record is full of big chorus’, especially in ‘Close To Me’, which will stick in your head for days. Closer ‘Meet You There’ is a perfect end to the record, finishes with a wall of sound and a recurring riff cuts through that will leave you feeling exhausted.
The highlight of ‘Soluna’, though, is the double-tracker that provides the album its name. ‘Sol’ is instrumental with sparse but intricate instrumentation and ethereal noise in the background. It’s a refreshing break and makes you realise how relentless and just plain huge the previous four songs have been. It’s a perfect intermission that lulls you into a false sense of security before ‘Luna’ brings you back down to earth with a punch in the face and an arm round your shoulder.
This record sounds like how driving through the Alps feels. It’s huge and soaring and it swells and rises in all the right places. Major props must be given to Paul Griffiths at PG Productions who recorded this album and made it sound incredible. The guitars are crunchy and powerful, the reverb-soaked riffs soar and cut their way through the record, the drums sound so good and punchy and the bass rolls through the back with so much energy. These songs are so well written, which isn’t a surprise as Forrest spent a year writing this record. It shows. It’s a serious record, a professional record, a record that’s going to get them noticed. If you don’t know Forrest yet, you soon will.
CONOR MACKIE