Restless In The Tides is the kind of record that you might expect from a band who is just getting started. Much like a talented rookie in a professional league there are some flashes of brilliance yet some trials and tribulations as well. Musically the guys attempt to use many of the same techniques from established labelmates As I Lay Dying, The Black Dahlia Murder, and Unearth. Breakdowns, thrashy riffs, melodic guitars, harsh vocals with clean singing are all things you are going to find here, and that's not too surprising because these are elements that have now become “givens” within this genre.

One thing that becomes apparent about five minutes in is that these kids can not only play, but play vigorously. Restless In The Tides is a very aggressive album and even brutal at times. Really, it is the sound of a band brimming with energy and enthusiasm and undoubtedly there is a lot of talent present on this record. The powerful drumming and ferocious vocals are particularly worth mentioning. The band pretty much sticks with the common metalcore formula throughout the records duration, and although there aren't very many surprises, highlights such as “The Chosen One” or the title track shows these youngsters more than capable of writing a memorable tune.

Unfortunately though while most of these tracks are heavy and show a nice degree of musical prowess, there is just not enough originality or cohesiveness to make it worth returning to. Ultimately things are just too scattered and the band sounds too much like a culmination of their labelmate heroes. However, the fact remains that Forever In Terror display a good amount of promise here, and while I will probably not going back to this disc very often in the future, I will definitely keep my ears open for their follow up.

written by Joe Grammatico

Playing time: 54.13