Fahrenheit 451 – The Battleground Is Everywhere
Borrowing their name from Ray Bradbury's infamous dystopian novel, Fahrenheit 451 are an upcoming punk-rock act from Essex who promise much and, to an extent, deliver it too. Burrowing into the seedy 'political punk' pigeonhole, the band offer an overtly political slant on music, which, depending on your viewpoint, is either a blessing or a curse. Though I applaud the group for sticking to their guns and saying exactly what they feel needs to be said, they do run the risk of alienating listeners by sounding overly preachy. Anyway, enough of that; onto the EP.
From the moment the record starts the listener is thrust into a catchy punk anthem. Lead singer Jez's Bowie-esque voice warbles over a solid bassline as 'We Are Youth' morphs into a good, if somewhat predictable, rallying call for today's youth. 'Bass & Bombs' follows, a funky, bass-driven tune that is as politically charged as its title suggests. Closing track, 'This Could Be Anywhere,' has left me somewhat undecided. A slow melancholy number that on one hand offers the band the chance to flaunt their mellower side yet weighing in at a hefty five minutes, I fear it tests the patience of the average listener.
On the whole 'The Battleground Is Everywhere' does its job in outlining F451's vast potential. Seamlessly covering a vast range of styles from straight up punk, to funky indie fusion to slower pseudo-acoustic rock, the EP has something for most musical palettes. Though some gripes remain about the overtly political lyrical content and the length of the final song, this is a fair release from a band that I'm certain will go from strength to strength.