We Are One / Forever Falling
Week 9 - 14th April 2005
By Sharkey

Well back again to give your annual dosage of healthy reviewing goodness (take twice a day, do not sit in confined area’s). Although slightly later than usual I hope your usual addictive tendencies have not given you a review come down…anyway, enough of that, on to:

We Are One - From their image on stage I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this four piece band. They are quite a new band on the local scene so I had not seen them at any local venues in the area.

They opened with “Just A Girl” by No Doubt, played quite well by the band (although in my opinion missing the crucial keyboard solo parts, but did well due to lack of keyboard player). The singer although, was dreadfully out of tune, whether it be nerves or lack of practise for the song, she was several semi-tones out. At time she managed to hit the occasional right note every now and then but was still out.

The bass player managed to chip in some additional vocals and announcements to the crowd (something we expect the lead singer to do, so cudos for seeing the leader in a different area of the band).

My other complaint is that there was absolutely no movement from the band, including the singer. It was played rigidly and composed but no attention given to getting into the songs. The only attention the band gave to the crowd was from the bassist who announced songs to the audience. But saying that the actual music of the song was performed well, with very few mistakes and errors.

They played quite a few covers as well as an original that they finished only the day before (which in my mind had a distinctly No Doubt feel about it). They even went into a minor ska version of the Pink Panther theme.

Their overall style was Ska-Punk but delved occasionally into Rock. They could defiantly use some more experience in smaller pubs and refining their sound, maybe to get their singer a bit more confident about playing on stage.

Forever Falling - Definitely lots of attitude and movement from this band. A well established band in the Norwich area who seemed to bring quite a bit of their fan-base with them (either by self-promoting or by general public interest). This four piece Emo/Metal band exploded with a brilliant set of well constructed originals.

The whole band seemed to have a hell of a lot of energy on the stage and got the crowd up right at the start of their set, encouraging the moshing.

The singers style reminded me a bit of a cross between Placebo and Funeral For A Friend, with the occasional bit of screaming thrown in every now and then. Some of their original songs had very varied structures, almost Mars Volta-esque in flow and dynamics but with the metal edge on it. They were quite memorable (even though I can’t remember how they go right now just bear with me) riffs in their songs even though the songs get moving and changing progressively.

Although some of the songs they played were slightly repetitive they definitely had the stage presence and on-stage style to easily make for it. They even gave a shout out for the crowd to acknowledge the now departed Limeshark.

By the end of their set they were jumping about all over the stage and the crowd, rolling around on the floor whilst still playing their songs, this got a massive response from everyone in the crowd.

An excellent band with great originals, lots of stage presence and personality to match.

Anyway, enough from me. I shall go and resume my usual conquest of trying to claim some kind of job in the music scene through the medium of science, and if that made sense to you I’ll see you next week at Battle of the Bands for Tempered Elf vs Skeletol Embrace.

Jo writes:

The curtain up on another week at BOTB… ah, the joys of hundreds of people converging on one place to indulge their common tastes in hard rockin’ tunes. It’s enough to move one to tears – as, unfortunately, were the first band this week, going by the name of We Are One. They really didn’t do it for me: okay, cute lead singer, check; good musicians and decent enough sound produced thereof; dancers; and chirpy bassist as sorely-needed source of entertainment. Very sorely needed, as it turned out - there is really no polite way to say this (not that my reviews are renouned for being polite anyway): but Otherside by RCHP is one of my favourite songs in the world and it got murdered. I heard what I thought were a couple of fairly catchy originals, but tragically, We Are One went on to commit the cardinal sin of covering multiple songs by the same bands. The lovely front lady also sang pretty flat, which left me wincing. So back to the drawing board, guys and girl: I’m extraordinarily harsh, I know, but brutal renderings of classics like that deserve equally brutal reviews.

I want the lead singer! – Please, show some self-restraint, Gummy
Oh, is this going on the website? Uh, the vocals could have been a little better. – Aiden

Well, I smelled the hormones in the room before I saw their cause: one glance at the stage and the pit confirmed it, the stand-ins Forever Falling are definitely the hottest band we’ve seen so far. The hordes of slavering teenage girls seemed to position themselves as one firmly in front of the stage, making it very difficult for yours truly to get a good view, so I just sat back and appreciated the music. And very appreciable it was too: strongly reminding me of Bleeding Through and Avenged Sevenfold, current screamcore media darlings. (Oh, how I adore my ‘core…) FF’s set was very varied throughout and showed excellent musicianship skills: it’s a real bitch getting songs like that to work unless you rehearse thoroughly. The fact that most if not all were originals only served to impress me more. Even the inbetween song talking, often a dodgy aspect, was spot-on. One word of warning: I’m sure the poor old lead singer won’t be able to continue like that if he keeps knackering his voice. Be careful – but keep it up, it’s ace.
PS. All you slavering teenage girls: I got the drummer’s number. Ner-ner-ner.

Majere writes:

It's a mild night in much-maligned Yarmouth, and despite almost everyone seeming to have some sort of cold, the atmosphere is mellow. Freshly over-stimulated from an encounter with a coffee machine unable to tell the difference between espresso and cappuchino, I arrive at a steadily-filling Marina to witness...


We Are One have clearly made an effort tonight. From what looks like a fresh dye-job on the diminutive lead singer, to the Coby Dick look of the lead guitarist and the bassist's dreads, the look is sharp and solid, if not exactly new. After what is fast becoming the traditional post-introduction pause for breath, the band launch energetically into No Doubt's "Just a Girl". Sadly, things go a little pear-shaped when the female singer opens her mouth and it becomes clear that, like Faded Theory before them, We Are One are going to have trouble with the vocal side of the performance. Spunge's tour de force "Jump On Demand" suffers from the same problem, though as the band reach their first original the singer begins to find a little more confidence. With a solid rythm section and some good riffage both in the originals and the covers, things are beginning to gel, if not exactly fly, when a cover of the Chili Peppers "Otherside" comes along- and regrettably suffers the same fate as it's predecessors.

There is, however, something inherently likeable about the energy and determination of the band, and more than one spectator is probably willing them to find their feet- and find them they do, to some extent, with a much better attempt at The Offspring's "Hit That". By now, it is clear that the true 'front' of the band is the lead guitarist and backup vocalist, and after both band and crowd have grinned at a seemingly spontaneous burst of the Pink Panther theme, the ska-tinged "Child at Heart" continues the improvement with some good hooks and tight tempo changes.

The vocalist is finally starting to enjoy herself, seizing the mic from its stand and promptly forgetting where it is during the Spunge-inspired take on "Centrefold", and the Offspring surface again in the shape of "A Million Miles Away", which works fairly well despite some odd division of labour between the main and backing vocals. Finishing with the solid "When you push", We Are One end with heads held high. I suspect that the band could have done with more preparation- there were moments when lyrics seemed forgotten or repeated in the wrong places (the solo in "Otherside" notably falling victim to this) and the vocalist certainly needs more practice at the tricky art of singing through a PA, but there is promise to be seen in the set, and as more original tracks are penned I suspect they will grow into a solid unit.

Majere thinks We Are One should cover: "Last Resort" (Papa Roach)

With the grumpiness that comes of having a stinking cold and no alcohol due to painkillers, I lurk, rather than mingle, and simply listen to what seem to be promising sounds from behind the BOTB curtain. A bass amp picks up on the theme, and promptly dies, requiring the ministrations of many expert hands before recovering. Had it known what it was in for, it may just have run in terror...

FOREVER FALLING - With the sudden disintegration of Limeshare, who Forever Falling will innocently thank during their set for the chance to play, BOTB journos are faced with another unknown quality. Once again, my policy of doing no research whatsoever on the bands is vindicated.

Norwich-based Forever Falling manage to attract a reasonable crowd before playing a note through the cunning gambit of having a bare-chested drummer, leaving various young ladies jostling for the best view. When they hit the stage to soundcheck, it becomes apparent that black is once again the order of the day, though a hand-crafted backdrop also graces the scene. Immediately it becomes clear that no prisoners are to be taken- there are three mics set up, and all are to see use. After a quick soundcheck, things kick off with the storming "Broken Hearts Deserve to Burn".

The chugging guitars are complimented by a three-pronged vocal assault, which changes style and focus so quickly that to begin with, it's hard to work out who the frontman is. Even in this first track, the metal posing is in full flow, and when the central guitarist performs a textbook slingshot with his axe- spinning it by the strap all around his body before seizing it and continuing to play- it becomes clear that here, we have something just that little bit special. Forever Falling do it all- spoken-word monologues, foundation-shaking screams, straight-up singing and three-part harmony. They are unafraid to go from full-on metal assault to slow, quiet reflection and back again, exemplified by the soaring "Finest Champagne for the Fallen Princess". And yet, for a band that are so good- and who know it- they keep their sense of humour and humility, the frontman (for it is the centre guitarist) apologising for his voice (!) whilst cursing the "Damn weather!". As the crowd grows from penalty-kick wall, to mini-pit, to localised mayhem, the band's energy level and enthusiasm increase still further- mic stands are taken out by flailing limbs and swiftly replaced by the BOTB soundcrew, a fairy is briefly de-winged in the pit, and the front man takes a quick dip in the crowd himself.

Even amidst the chaos, the band take a moment to check the health of one of the more spectacular pit casualties, before the frontman and his cordless guitar take a quick tour around the hall. Finally, as the set closes off with "Following Pride", even your correspondent puts down his notepad to head for the front, where the end of the set sees a scrum for free demo CDs. One of these, fortunately, is secured for the household by an alert sibling. As the smoke clears, a happy crowd are left reflecting on a stunning set as they stumble out into the night air.

Majere thinks Forever Falling should cover: No, he doesn't.

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