Overall Score: 8/10 originality: 9/10 musicianship: 8/10 vocals: 7/10 Pros: Upcoming band that can play and won't compromise anything Cons: Not sure how serious this project is. Vocal melodies lack variation
Being a major city on the south coast Portsmouth is a melting pot of cultures and influences so it’s no surprise that here (and rival city Southampton) plays host to a strong and vibrant music scene. Could it be better? Of course it could, but the same could be said about any city in the UK and regardless of your thoughts on it, the scene has pushed forward one band that, at barely a year old, are starting to get some big recognition – Further From The Sky.
It’s refreshing in 2020 to see a new band produce original music in which its members are all over the age of about 22 and these veterans of rock and roll wear their 90’s aggressive alt-rock influences on their collective sleeves on their debut EP A History of Broken Bones.
As the opening riff of Concentration Camps of Trump’s America breaks forth from the speaker, it is clear this is a band not trying to conform to any current trend, the rhythm section is tight and locked into the groove, while the vocals seem to have an anger not heard since Zack de la Rocha.
Fathers and Crisis Actor, whilst slightly slower tempo seem to have a very similar vocal, however, which makes it difficult to differentiate which song is which. Luckily Broken Love is a belter of a tune, dying to be blasted out in a sweaty packed out venue, with its singalong chorus and catchy as fuck riff.
The EP closes with the bands’ popular debut single from last year, Buying Friends, which suffers from a touch too much reverb, but elsewise is another live hit.
To be fair, having caught Further From The Sky at a show in 2019, I can attest to their presence on stage and furious performance – it’s difficult to stop watching when the band are in full flow and audience participation is pretty much… well, forced.
Grab yourself a copy of this EP if you like Rage Against The Machine, Kill II This and Pitchshifter and get yourself to a live show, while they’re still doing gigs at no more than a fiver.
