Facing Fire - 'Facing Fire' EP Review

Tracklist:

1. Dying Inside

2. Filthy Life

3. Overcome

4. Fake

Ohio’s Facing Fire have released their eponymous EP, featuring new single “Filthy Life” and last years debut “Dying Inside”, alongside other tracks “Overcome” and “Fake”.

The band were formed in 2016 by guitarist Tony Phillips, vocalist Scott Artis and bass player Josh Quillen and have since been supplemented by Caleb Miller on guitar and Levi Ausmus on drums. Their first single, described as a “Straight up and in your face sound”, was released in May 2017.

So is it any good?

It’s alright but to be perfectly honest it’s a little…well, punch 17th October 2000 into Google (other search engines are available) and you’ll see where I’m going with this.

“Dying Inside” and “Fake” are, what I now term, ‘Limp Angst’ (©2018). It’s the old shout and roar of defiance from the kids, but within the corporate template so neatly laid out by the majors and Jacksonville’s finest…maybe it’s my age and cynicism but it really does feel so formulaic and that’s a disappointment.

New single “Filthy Life” and “Overcome” follow a similar familiarity, heading down the ‘Nicklespective’ (I’m on fire with these new sub genres!) route…the kind of song you suffered through in the early noughties, where the videos feature lots of introspective reflection in bedrooms while outside the cruel world carries on, with possible a Lucky Strike smouldering evocatively in an ashtray.

I know I sound dismissive of the band and their efforts but I’m trying to be honest…I’ve reread the above and tempered it a little, but I’ve also just reread the bit on their website where Tony Phillips says “I finally get to make the kind of music I’ve always wanted” and I can’t help feeling that someone beat him to it…around 17 years ago.