SONG REVIEW: Forever On High - "Calling"
“Huge Hooks and Catchy Sing Alongs are what you can expect from Brisbane’s best”
by Jesse Smith
Coming from the land down unda’, in the heart of Brisbane comes the next heart throb pop punk act called Forever On High. Recently formed earlier this year, this band has already managed to lock in a sound stylistically that sits right at the hearts of all emo’s young and old. Drawing inspiration from bands like All Time Low, Blink 182, and Fall Out Boy, Forever On High is hitting that exact demographic with sound and image while still being unique and fresh. They released their first single “Smoking Gun” in June and it racked up over 40k streams. Now, only couple months later, they are back and raising the bar with their incredible new single “Calling”
Pop Punk is practically a genre of its own now with so many subgenres and bands pushing those boundaries and blurring those lines. Forever On High has that new age larger than life hooks and sing alongs. While the tempo is down, the energy is turned all the way up! The band leads off the song with half of the chorus, giving us only a taste of how anthemic this song is about to be. The vocalist Justin is the first highlight that really pops. His vocals from verse to chorus show his range and power and is the perfect pop punk voice. As I started to listen more and more, I focused on the background and the instruments and the song would not be as good if it wasn’t for them. Seeming simple when in reality it is a perfectly arranged song that has little surprises and off timed dance beats riddled in. After listening a few times, I checked out their music video, and man was it a party! LITERALLY! The video, other than playing in a party, showed me that they really embody the spirit and know what they are doing. There are not many words I can say to describe, it’s more of when you see it you know, but the way the band moves and looks mixed with the songs they’re producing makes them a very dangerous band.
Like I said before, pop punk has had many many faces throughout the years with many different sounds. Forever On High is on track to being up there with the mainstream bands like All Time Low. Calling is a palatable song for people who aren't in the scene and also for those who are elder emos. For a band to sound like them by their second release is a big deal and to be honest, they are already good enough to stand on stage with bands they are inspired by. For this baby band, they sound like veterans, and that is going to get them as far as they are willing to go.