I guess it’s not Firstborn‘s fault, but when I read they were “uninspired” by the current music scene and with their new record they hope “the current fads burn out”. Which I find rather ironic because, to me, Firstborn have always been lumped in with a stack of bands who sound exactly the same and are influenced by FFAF, Lostprophets et al. Still, a band can change and, I guess, at least they may have realised the error of their previous ways. That’s not to say ‘Embers’ is a startling new concept that will re-write musical history because, frankly, it’s not that great.
Sure, this is a huge improvement on their last effort. And while words like ‘mature’ are often banded about like confetti when groups release new albums, this EP certainly does show a more grown up side to Firstborn‘s sound. With Hundred Reasons‘ guitarist Larry Hibbert handling production duties, Firstborn sound beefy in the six-string department and also have a British rock edge in a similar vein to HR. ‘You Will Forget’ is sharp and snappy, arguably the best of the bunch too, yet I do feel there’s still something lacking if the band really want to set themselves apart from the pack. It’s okay making such bold statements about your music, but it’s up for bands to deliver – and this doesn’t…not quite, anyway.