FORGIVEN RIVAL

Forgiven Rival released their debut full-length album ‘This Is A War’ two years ago in their native country of Australia. However, we here in the United States have only gotten the album earlier this month. These guys are a mix of hardcore and metalcore and, while what they play isn’t exactly original, they songs have some clever twists in them. So, let’s see how our brothers from down under fare after the jump.

The album starts off with ‘The Grey’, a track that showcases how the band use harmonized vocals as well as guitar harmonies very typical to this genre. It’s a very rhythmic track, complete with low-string chugging matched with pounding double bass drums. ‘The Grey’ is a good example of what is to come, though not the best choice. Perhaps another song from later on in the album would’ve been able to demonstrate the mixture of metalcore and the influence of ‘radio-prog’.

The production on this album is very solid. The drums have a solid thump, especially the kick drum (wow!) and the cymbals have a nice presence to them. The guitars are very crunchy yet articulate and the bass is a great low end presence. The vocals are mixed very well considering that there are three singers AND there has to be a balance between clean and growled vocals. When present, acoustic instruments have rich, full tones that do not sound emulated or faked. The album also makes good use of panning and extra effects to spice up the tracks.


The songs have a great flow to them and make sense when transitioning. Listening to the music, I hear the influences Killswitch Engage but I also hear a bit of 10 Years in the vocal styles and in some of the guitar chord changes. If either of these bands is to your liking, I highly recommend checking this album out. It truly wouldn’t surprise me if, very soon, Forgiven Rival gets the same recognition and respect as Killswitch Engage.

4 out of 5 skulls - www.bloody-discusting.com, By: Jonathan Barkan

“This Is A War is a blueprint for modern Australian, accessible music.”

- Blunt Magazine
- Blunt Magazine

“Heavy with melody and aggression, the debut by Melbourne four-piece Forgiven Rival

is nothing short of first class.”

- The Adelaide Advertiser
- The Adelaide Advertiser

“… nothing short of a pleasant surprise. The lead single ‘The Request’ reels you in with

a familiar and solid rock sound and quickly makes you sit up and take notice”

- This Is Killer
- This Is Killer Magazine

“As far as modern pop punk goes “The Request” holds up pretty well. The guitar leads

are catchy and the harmonies throughout the chorus make it one of the most

memorable tracks on the album”

- Kill Your Stereo
- Kill Your Stereo

Over the last three years, Melbourne based melodic/metallic post-hardcore Forgiven Rival have been creating their own buzz in the underground through their two independently released E.P.’s (2005’s self titled effort and 2006’s The Symphony Of Words) and their performances onstage alongside bigger names such as Parkway Drive, Silverstein, Carpathian, Boys Night Out and Behind Crimson Eyes.

Now backed by up-and-coming local label El Shaddia Records (Whose only other signing is House Vs Hurricane) and returning with their debut full-length effort This Is A War, Forgiven Rival are ready to show the rest of the world what their made of.The band (Who comprises of vocalist/bassist Joel Thornton, guitarists/backing vocalists Adrian Brown and Peter Fabrizio and drummer Simeon Dux) certainly put their best foot forward with the opening track “Life Behind The Lies.” The big heavy hardcore breakdowns and metallic edge to their sound ensures that the band have plenty of power behind them, while the melodic choruses showcase the commercial appeal within the band’s song writing.

The single “The Request” is easily one of the catchiest songs on the album with flourishes of catchy hard rock heard in amongst the odd line of screaming and heavy guitar work, with tracks such as “In Case Of Ignorance,” “Like The Effects Of The Wind” and “Time Is Taking Over” seemingly all cut from the same cloth in terms of direction.

Altering the flow of the album a little more towards the emo-rock side of things are some of the slower tracks, with “Through My Eyes,” “Is Anybody Listening” and “This Is Your Song” the definite stand-outs, while on the short instrumental “Reflections” the band expose their given musical talents.

This Is A War is a well-rounded and likeable release, and one that’s sure to attract more than a few listeners in the band’s direction. - Justin Donnelly