Forever The Fallen rose from the ashes of the short-lived but promising Contender Rising. Bassist Dan Edwards and guitarist Brandon Francis carry on under a new name with vocalist Jason Downs and guitarist Mike Clevinger added to the fold, configuring a brand new band with a brand new, albeit familiar plan: conquer the world. The band’s debut EP, Love & Sin, was recorded at Cherry Pit Studios in Wisconisn, produced by Eric Labrosse and mastered by Joel Wasanek who has also worked with Trapt and The Veer Union among others. The EP features five hard rocking songs that fit with just about anything you hear on modern rock radio today and display the kind of depth and emotion that brings to mind established bands like Breaking Benjamin, Three Days Grace and Finger Eleven. 

“Six Feet Apart” opens the album with a vengeance and sets the tone while “Enemy,” one of the EP’s heavier tracks, features an attention-grabbing guitar riff that just won’t let go. “Be Anything But Me” shows off a bit of acoustic guitar and adds a little diversity before transitioning into what is probably the most radio-ready single on the disc. “Falling Away” features some great guitar work courtesy of Francis and Clevinger while “I Am The Fire” is less a finishing song to the album than it is a taste of what is to come, combining all the great elements of the band into something that continues on repeat inside your head long after you have taken out the headphones and gone about the rest of your day.

With Love & Sin it’s clear that Forever The Fallen are not a re-creation of Contender Rising, but an evolution of what that band might have become. From the first notes of opener “Six Feet Apart” to the last of “I Am The Fire,” the songs grab your attention and keeps it as long as the sounds continue flowing through your listening device. The rhythm section of Waters and Edwards delivers a performance that demands respect, adding layers of texture and consistency to each song, while Francis and Clevinger combine to create a sound that gives you more than just a twin guitar attack, but also reflects the emotional tone singer Jason Downs seems to want to convey. Love & Sin is a strong debut from a promising new band.