Mash it up.
This sophomore album from ¡Forward, Russia! Is quirky alt-rock through and through. Jagged, complex riffs and rhythms in the style of Minus The Bear mesh nicely with catchy tunes and ethereal background noises, all overlaid with plenty of swirling fuzz. “Life Processes” is not as much an intense post-hardcore attack as debut “Give Me A Wall”, and it is definitely not an experimental romp, instead what we get are SONGS; well formed and mature sounding tunes - even though there are heavy sections and walls of sweeping fuzz, the keyboard riffs and sung vocals hold all the tracks in a melodic embrace.
The album opens with ‘Welcome To The Moment (the rest of your life)’ an almost pop song, but a miserablist vocal tone and open echo in the production along with slow minimal sections makes it sound remarkably like an Editors tune • odd but interesting. The keys at the start of ‘We Are Grey Matter’ have an 80s new romantic feel, but luckily they’re soon replaced with manic screams, those jagged, complex riffs and a beautiful epic, sweeping climb from the guitars - brilliant.
‘Gravity & Heat’ is one of the best, a six odd minute epic with intimate moments counterbalanced with huge crunchy metal riffs and intense noise. ‘A Shadow Is A Shadow Is A Shadow’ sounds like an indie-rock tune done by Every Time I Die, again those heavy guitars and screams breathe life what could be a standard tune if it wasn’t being handled by ¡FR!. There are more gentle moments on the album too, which break up the mayhem; ‘Fosbury In Discontent’ is minimal and sober, with piano and voice and eight minute epic closer, ‘Spanish Triangles’ is a lovely melancholy melodic song with swirls and echoes.
¡Forward, Russia! Manage to stay the ‘wrong’ side of the mainstream because of the small touches. They do have really melodic tunes, they do have really excellent riffs but their rhythms are off kilter, they can break into a really heavy moment at any time (like ‘Gravity & Heat’ which starts slow and gentle but pushes its way into metal riffs at about half way through) and Tom Woodhead’s high pitched and occasionally shrill vocals can be an acquired taste. There can be many changes of pace and feel in each track which keeps you on your toes and makes you want to come back for more so you can see what you missed on the first, second or third listen • this is an album with staying power.