It may seem like rock’n’roll that isn’t heavily cliché-ridden is a dying breed. With their second full-length, Falling Red are out to prove that’s not the case – at least, not musically. While they may look like they need to stay away from open flames, it seems they spend as much time on their songs as they do their hair.
The image may be reminiscent of a less cartoonish Black Veil Brides, but these boys have the ability to write refreshingly gritty hard rock that isn’t verging on self-parody.
Standout tracks such as the rousing We Escaped A Cult, Outcast and the excellent title track have chunky riffs and strong choruses working in their favour, with a vibe reminiscent of fellow Brit rockers Heaven’s Basement, or The Defiled with clean vocals. It’s a little rough around the edges in terms of production, especially in the vocals, which are a bit thin, but it’s still enjoyable.
That the album was entirely crowd-funded shows they already have a loyal fanbase; hopefully things will only get better.
