I've been fretting writing this review for the fact that it may not belong here but dangnabit, it does. Why? Because this entire band was Strongarm back in the day and made two hardcore albums that every person should have in their collection (if not both at LEAST The Advent of a Miracle). The lineup from Advent is here in Further Seems Forever minus the old vocalist replaced by a man whose children I want to have, Chris Carrabba.
There really isn't a reason you shouldn't have this CD, unless you are of the sort of "metal and only metal" and then I will weep for you whilst I feel happy because this CD has been released.
I can find NOTHING wrong with this disc. I've looked and looked and looked. I've even waited this long to see if the rating would drop but no it's held the 10 and if I could I would give it higher because it gets better each time I listen to it. Oh wait I suppose the ONE thing wrong would be that song 4 "Monachetti" isn't as strong as 1-3 so it loses some right there but after that it picks up again and all the songs are great. If there's a place in your heart for indie-rock or emo stuff you owe it to yourself and your ears, not to mention your girlfriend or wife (this band is one of my wife's favorites and she doesn't even like music) to pick this CD up. Even if there isn't a place for it you will probably like this band on pure musicianship.
All the instruments are played so perfectly. The drums are airy when need to be and pounding and full at the perfect times. Songs that could be girlie are made tough by Steve Kleisath's drumming, who for hardcore aficionados was also in Shai Hulud (which in turn explains why Advent sounded a lot like Shai Hulud). The guitars play well off of each other and have great tones all the way through. Bass guitar is full and does a lot more than one would think necessary for indie-rock yet if he did less it wouldn't fit.
You ask who this Chris Carrabba is that I speak of above? He ended up leaving the band after recording this CD to pursue his solo project Dashboard Confessional (which if D lets slip by will also be reviewed) Simply put, his vocals are just amazing. His voice hints slightly other styles yet is completely his own and sounds like no other. He has that voice that makes you sing along to every song (we won't delve as deep as the DC review). Definitely a plus when you have a band that needs a good singer, read SINGER not vocalist mind you.
Which moves us to lyrics.... much of the album seems to be about relationships but upon further inspection a relationship with God shows through the double meaning, "this is the last time I will try to reach you, and my guess is you'll just ignore it, just ignore me, without a passing glance, without the slightest sigh, without moving your hands, without the softest cry, if I'd say go your own way, I'll be with you, make mistakes and I'll forgive you, home is waiting here for you when you return"
So as you can see I could go on and on about this CD but I will cut this short here and say this. BUY THIS CD!
NOW!
GO!
10/10
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #89Reviewed by Andy ArgyrakisImagine you're in a band and you just recorded an amazing label debut album with powerful guitar licks and emotionally driven vocals. You have a sense of achievement and accomplishment in the fact that you've just spent months of your life pouring your heart and soul into an action packed project. Now imagine being the lead singer of that group and then ending your time with the band before that…ReAL Magazine 2001Reviewed by David O.I don't like "emo." I've never really known what it is exactly, but I tend to associate the term with bands that blend complex yet bland guitar parts with uninteresting scratchy vocals and dynamics that constantly shift from quiet (sad) to loud (still sad, but louder). Emo pioneers Sunny Day Real Estate have always stood above other emo bands because of the pop sensibility that subtly underlies…Decapolis 2001Reviewed by Brett MiottiIf you're like me you've been anxious for this release since practically day one of the announcement that four of the members from the legendary Strongarm were going to be making music together again. The album cover theme of airports and jet planes seems to be appropriate for this release, seeing as how Further Seems Forever fans have been waiting for this puppy to arrive for quite some time.…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Ken MuellerWhen the members of hardcore band Strongarm decided to form a new band, they called on Dashboard Confessional's Chris Carrabba to provide the vocals and lyrics. And the result is far from hardcore: an emo based sound with shades of post-punk thrown in for good measure. While FSF is a little late in coming to the emo game, and their sound at times is a bit formulaic, they are at their best when…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Bert GanglThe history of Further Seems Forever is inextricably tied to that of the Miami-based punk band Strongarm, from which the bulk of its members came. Fusing together the hardcore punk of Husker Du and the thrash metal of Sepultura for their sound, Strongarm released only two full albums for Tooth & Nail Records, 1996's Atonement and 1997's Advent of a Miracle, before packing it in. But, several…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Matt RiddleOne album down, one lead singer gone. Further Seems Forever has already had a tumultuous year and their album has only been out a few months. Their lead singer, Chris Carrabba, parted on good terms. The band has meanwhile replaced him with interim singer Jason Gleason. This has the possibility to change the scope of the band entirely. Gleason may be very talented, but one of the first aspects of…Opus 2001Reviewed by Jason MoreheadIf there's one genre that seems to be singled out for an unfair amount of maligning, it's emo. For many, there's something about the image of skinny white guys in tight shirts and horn-rimmed glasses screaming awkward lyrics about pain and betrayal that, well, just sets something off. And for those people, The Moon Is Down is ripe for the picking. After all, it's incredibly earnest, with those…Similar sounding releases
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