For fans of Reggie and The Full Effect, Forgotten Sons is a melodic pop-punk band out of Scotland recently signed to New York based Manic Kat Records. Manic Kat was attracted to the sound and general good American reception of the group’s self-released EPs and picked Forgotten Sons up for their third, Angst and Apathy, which releases October 4 officially, but for Dying Scene fans it just came a few days early. Stream Angst and Apathy below.
Angst and Apathy comprises four-tracks of honest and maturely copacetic pop-punk rock and roll, began by an opening sonata “Tiden Leger Alle Sar” which the Google tells me is Norwegian for “Time Heals All Wounds”. From there, just looking at the track-titles one gets an impression of symphonic development – albeit maybe unintentionally. Melancholy classical music is displaced by somber pop rock rhythms in the vein of those great gloom rock bands that have come before them for “Time Heals All” and chants of “There’s always tomorrow/Time heals all” offer and inflection of hope as “It took us both to fuck up” does the transparency of inner realization. Transpierced with piano correlation and well produced, the song offers a few different takes on the essence of growth.
From there, Angst and Apathy takes a more traditional rock and roll turn before breaking down in an acoustic “Blackened Heart”, showcasing further depth of understanding in the art of album engineering as well as mellifluous guitar picking arrangements that highlight the familiar theme of overcoming intransigence, and acceptance that we’re not all perfect. In a call for community and positive development they leave us with a message, “When I turn the other way, will it be a step or a fall? Well I guess I’ll just find out. In the darkness of my old ways, I will see the light shining through. I need your help my friend… I wear this heart up on my sleeve, it’s getting oh so dirty. [Maybe] it’s time for me to leave.”
Catch Forgotten Sons live on their upcoming album-supporting UK tour. (Dates below)