Forever Changed

Item: The Need To Feel Alive
Author: Justin Brinker

The Need To Feel Alive

(2005)

Reviewed by Justin Brinker

Discogs Apple Music TIDAL Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Music

Label Floodgate RecordsDecapolisMay 2005

alternative rock emo indie rock pop rock

Forever Changed is a band that could be on the verge of something good. This four-piece from Florida plays an assorted brand of pop and rock, heavy on the guitar riffs and melodic hooks. In a genre of music inundated with obtuse screaming and more interest in fashion over artistry, Forever Changed brings something a bit different to the table.

The Need To Feel Alive is the debut full-length on Floodgate Records. The up-tempo opener "The Last Time" soars with vocalist Dan Cole commanding the listener, to pay attention, while lead guitarist Ben O'Rear keeps things interesting with weaving guitar leads throughout the song. The title track takes more of a rock angle, with picking parts, and the drums taking precedent in the verses. The bass driven "Romance in Denial" can get a bit predictable as the track wanes, while "Opportunity (We Could Be The Ones)" slows things back down and is easily one of the strongest songs on The Need To Feel Alive. The closer "Knowledge" utilizes a piano and violin, bringing the album to a beautiful halt, as Cole beseeches the listener that "there is more to life than live for today." The lyrical theme throughout The Need To Feel Alive is hope and ultimately faith. It is refreshing to hear a band unashamed of where they stand and be passionate about it.

James Paul Wisner produced the album, of Further Seems Forever and Underoath fame, and does a great job. This is a style of music that continues to get a bad rap and rightfully so, when one looks at the hundreds of bands that sound exactly the same. There are times on The Need To Feel Alive where one can see these comparisons. Forever Changed treads dangerous ground on songs like "Something More" and "Encounter" but manage to keep things interesting enough to set themselves apart through much of the album. This is a young band with a lot of promise. Only another release will be able to tell if that promise will be fulfilled.

2.5/4