By Jim Rowland
The Alarm’s Mike Peters returns to life after a year dominated by pneumonia and a serious leukaemia relapse, with the release of a brand new Alarm album, ‘Forwards’.
With much of the writing for the material on ‘Forwards’ taking place literally in his hospital ward during some very dark times last year, in between hospitalization periods Peters took the band into the recording studio with producer George Williams and although barely able to speak due to the debilitating effects of chronic illness, Peters was able to focus the sessions on creating the music for ten new life affirming Alarm songs that make up ‘Forwards’.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the lyrical content on many of the songs here is very reflective, with much of it reflecting the absolutely awful, dark experience Peters has had to endure in recent times, which isn’t the only period of his life he has had to battle serious illness. However, as we have come to expect from Mike Peters and The Alarm, there is still a battle weary, hardened determination to soldier on and indeed move ‘forwards’, which comes out of both the lyrical and musical content with this new album.
Title track ‘Forwards’, ‘Whatever’ and ‘Transition’ are the kind of rousing, epic sounding anthems that have been associated with The Alarm throughout their career, ‘The Returning’ and ‘Another Way’ are catchy slices of very decent pop/rock, with ‘Next’, ‘Love Disappearing’ and ‘New Standards’ all punchy, powerful alt-rock nuggets. ‘Love & Forgiveness’ sits in a more laid back, acoustic realm, whilst the album’s closer, ‘X’, saves the best until last for me, building from acoustic flavours to a huge rock sound in this rousing, epic six-plus minute belter set to become an instant Alarm classic.
Given the circumstances ‘Forwards’ was created in, it’s astonishing how good this has turned out to be, and it sits up there quite easily with any of The Alarm’s recent output. The band’s loyal army of fans will most certainly not be disappointed here, and perhaps most importantly, it’s a true testament to the positive attitude and spirit of Mike Peters, who continues to go marching on.
- ‘Forwards‘ is released on Friday (16 June).
- The Alarm appear as special guests to The Cult at Cardiff Castle on Tuesday 4 July.
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