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FURYON
Lost Salvation

Dream / Cargo (2015)
Rating: 5.5/10

Furyon is a band that many metal fans – especially in the UK – should be familiar with. This solid Brighton-based quintet formed in 2006 and released its debut EP 32 Hours the very same year, but it would take another four years until the band’s 2010 debut full-length release in the form of Gravitas.

Hot on the heels of Gravitas came the Underdog EP, but again it’s been a case of the waiting game for fans, with another five years passing before the issue of this eagerly anticipated slab of melodic metal.

Furyon has experienced a few line-up changes over the years but the latest incarnation remains pretty steady, with Lee Farmery propping up the rear-guard action with steely percussion. He’s flanked by axemen Tiago Rosado and Luca Faraone, while bass duties are handled by Alex Bowen. Of course, the band – as always – is spearheaded by the throat of Matt Mitchell, who adds an almost soulful, ascending croon to Furyon’s sound so that literally every track has a shade of anthemic quality to it.

My biggest fear with Furyon’s latest offering was that it was going to be a case of the usual generic rock, which tended to dampen down previous releases. I remember the buzz caused by Gravitas, and yet I for one could not understand the hype concerning what appeared to be a batch of solid, yet uninspiring rock songs. So, with such a length of time between full-length recordings, the big question is, “does Lost Salvation final showcase the edginess that was so sorely lacking last time?” Well, in small doses, yes it does, but I just get the feeling that the sound of these British rockers just isn’t going to be my thing, no matter how many times I spin such compositions.

For me, Furyon plays consistent but rather harmless metal that by now should be realising its potential. It’s all very much glossy, contemporary rock that in the late 80s or early 90s may have earned the band a place in the charts – we get those slow-building rhythms, then a harder edged passage before we climb higher with that vocal soar – but it’s the sort of bland rock I’ve heard countless times before.

Opener ‘All That I Have’ is pretty much bereft of oomph, drifting in an inoffensive manner with a constant nodding drum and that grating, commercial chorus, but it’s the sort of mediocre melodic metal that smothered the rock scene throughout the 90s and beyond – I’m left questioning as to whether there’s a real want for such sterile expression? Sure, the percussion is steady, the solos puncture the rolling rhythms of guitar and bass, but it’s just trampling over previously trodden ground.

The upbeat ‘Wiseman’ is injected with that modern day sheen of angst; the choppy raps of Mitchell are pleasing to the eye, but it’s as if you know what’s coming with another of those catchy yet frustratingly predictable choruses. ‘Wiseman’ is probably, however, about as streetwise as Furyon gets; the track drives hard with that constant prodding percussion and insistent guitar hook which are benefited by that excellent production, but there’s such an Americanized blandness about this that the potentially big melodies seem to be straining at the leash and lacking bite.

For me, Furyon belong in the same mediocre stable that houses US rockers Black Stone Cherry, in that the music they make (and even their videos to some extent) is rarely anything more than watered down “alternative metal” where too many songs fail to keep the listener entertained. Indeed, I’ve said this numerous times in regards to a few heavily touted UK acts whose sound has been more of a whimper than a lethal strike.

With songs such as the title track, ‘Good Sky’ and the grungier, brooding ‘Scapegoat’ there are moments of note, especially the latter where the band adopts a darker, ominous edge. It actually becomes a relief not to be bombarded by the usual, predictable commercial plodding. With the aforementioned ‘Good Sky’, there’s even a psychedelic element to proceedings as the quintet adjoins to create an epic swirl of sounds, but as so many of the tracks evolve, they just become so dull and mainstream to the point of the instrumentation being so understated – as an end result everything becomes compacted into one average chunk of ordinariness. In fact, Lost Salvation is so commonplace; ‘Resurrect Me’ follows in that same vein of grungy riff, making way for that safe vocal gravel.

There’s nothing overtly bad about Furyon, but there’s nothing that stands out either. Nevertheless, I’m sure because of their style they’ll have a mass appeal, but for those seeking something entertaining then you’ll have to look further afield than the basic formations of ‘Left It With The Gods’ and ‘What You Need’, which build to the same ol’ same ol’ structure. This is very much mainstream heavy rock that is professionally constructed, but doesn’t seem to have the capability of doing anything out of the tin.

I’ve heard many speak of the potential this band offers, but by now I’d expect something to grab me by the balls and that just doesn’t happen enough on this sophomore outing.

Neil Arnold

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