Russell HughesA Promise To Forget – Dying To Live (Self Release)
Genre: Melodic Metalcore
Just the fact that Dying To Live was ever produced is a testament to persistence and grit produced by A Promise To Forget.
For a debut album to take three years to be written is impressive enough, but when the lead singer struggled to leave the house for over two years due to debilitating anxiety and the album recordings were wiped clean off the system lesser bands wouldn’t have just thrown the towel in, they would have burned the whole linen closet down.
This album is about vocalist Tim Castle’s personal struggle with depression and anxiety and stands as a message of support and encouragement for those going through the same thing. Music fans need to be pleased that Castle managed to emerge out of his darkness and record Dying To Live – his powerful, clean vocals are from a rare vintage that makes the hairs stand up on the back of your neck and A Promise To Forget employ them perfectly in rising, atmospheric choruses.
Ravens and Writing Desks is the perfect example of that and is an emotional song about a personal cry for help that combines with a meaty, bruising guitar to create an absolute rollercoaster of a tune while Silvia is an audio memorial to lost love ones that uses Castle’s voice perfectly.
Dying To Live is the first example of the band’s harder side and Castle proves he can be a pauper in the sheets and a prince in the streets with his opening dirty vocals. It would be an interesting example of the band to explore, but for now it’ll have to serve as a tantalising glance into what the future might hold.
For a band to do so much under such difficult circumstances is remarkable, but the future looks bright.
RUSHONROCK RATED: 8/10 Don’t forget about them
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