By Phil Cooper
Nottingham based five-piece Fahran have been producing a catchy sound of hard rock/metal since their formation. Having released ‘Chasing Hours’ in 2014, the band have picked up notably critical acclaim and a strong core fanbase. They’ve toured the UK extensively bringing their particular brand of music to as many ears as possible. Now with the upcoming release of ‘V-A-P-O-U-R-S’, the band are planning that the new collection of 11 tracks will enable them to progress further and establish their status into a force to be reckoned with within the UK’s hard rock scene. What do they have to offer?
Opening with ‘Home’, the record kicks off with catchy electric guitar hooks and a stomping drum and bass groove. The lead melody is clearly picked out and pulls the listener in as it moves into the uplifting chorus section. There’s a balance to the mix enabling the listener to clearly identify the instruments and the vocals of Matt Black cut through with a raspy edge that takes on an Eighties hard rock style. It’s a solid opening track, ‘Home’ features well crafted guitar solos, a powerful rhythm and catchy vocals that will enable a crowd to sing along with the chorus. ‘Stand Alone’ follows up next and is a heavier offering than the more clean-cut opener. The guitar riffs carry more weight and when combined with the rhythm section create a bigger wall of sound. The vocals once again cut through with clarity. Partly due to the mix allowing them to fit on top of the thick texture, but largely due to Black’s vocal range delivery. The higher range of his vocals lift the vocal delivery to soar over the lower end of the chugging riffs.
‘Stand Alone’ represents one of the current singles from the album and along with ‘State of Mind’ and ‘Pyre’ it’s clear why they’ve chosen these. Each of them represents something different about the collective sound of the band. With both ‘Stand Alone’ and ‘State of Mind’ being on the heavier and more driving end of Fahran’s style. ‘Pyre’, while still featuring big riffs and hard-hitting rhythms, has a more restrained quality. It’s reserved when compared to the other two singles and helps show off more of the intricate song writing and structuring of the band. Opening with a catchy repetitive guitar hook line before morphing into a power chord riff and accompanying bass and drums, it appears that this is another aspect of the catchy hard rock that the band have already shown. However, as it moves through the structure the track opens into a more anthemic quality when it hits the chorus sections, aided by a wash of reverb on the vocals allowing for the illusion of space within the music. At the mid-point, the breakdown brings in clean guitar arpeggios before building back into a higher tempo. The dynamics shift once more into the latter part of the track. Once more the clean arpeggios are brought in, however, they now take a more commanding role in driving the track. The vocals are more powerful with their delivery as the track moves to the fade out. ‘Pyre’ is a great choice for a single as it’s a standout moment on the album and shows that Fahran can create a strong dynamic lead number as well as the bigger full sound catchy numbers.
There’s more to discover with this band as the album progresses, tracks such as ‘Already Gone’ and album closer ‘I’m Still Me’ show that for a relatively young band they are capable of creating engaging, reflective ballad like numbers. There’s an underlying maturity to the song writing and musicianship of the five-piece and they’re undeniably talented. The initial slow burner of ‘Requiem’ highlights further that this is a band that not only have a solid understanding of how to write hard rock but also have developed an understanding within themselves of how they can work together to develop a powerful wall of sound. As the track progresses from a quiet, unassuming intro into a full seven minute plus anthem shows that they have a fluidity to their sound that comes from understanding how each instrument complements another in creating this type of track. The dynamic shifts engage the listener and create a flowing sonic interest as the song builds to the outro.
While it is undeniable that Fahran have definitely created a solid album with ‘V-A-P-O-U-R-S’, some may say that there is still room for growth. The eleven tracks on offer represent a maturity for a young band, lyrically they cover a wide range of aspects from mental health, relationships and everyday life and they’ve created a rich and full sound to compliment these ideas. However, there are at times aspects where it may seem the band have not yet settled on a defining sound. They cover the heavier end of hard rock very well with powerful riffs, pounding rhythms and strong vocals, they can also tone it down and execute a decent ballad. Yet, at times there is some cleaner pop leanings that seems at odds with the raw edge of the majority of their songs, some of the production techniques used creates a very polished sound that could turn some away as it removes part of the hard-hitting attack that initially pulls a listener in. As the band is still looking to establish a more commanding status in the UK scene, they may look to capitalise on one aspect more than another. It will be interesting to see which of these songs from ‘V-A-P-O-U-R-S’ makes it to a live setlist, and which get the bigger crowd reactions.
Overall, there’s an awful lot to like and enjoy with this album. There are big catchy melodies, driving riffs and a heavy rhythm foundation that’ll satisfy those with a heavier taste. The strength of the vocals cuts through the mix and provides a great addition to the wall of sound. The softer, more reflective moments will enable those who enjoy a well-crafted rock track to get involved and there’s undeniable talent within the band. Whether or not it will be an album that creates a catalyst for Fahran to become a big player remains to be seen, however, it should certainly get them more favourable attention and hopefully they’ll continue to grow.
- ‘V-A-P-O-U-R-S’ is released on 28 June. You can get your copy HERE.
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