When i first heard Formal Warning's new Ep i was immediately reminded of my childhood; blasting 5 Seconds of Summer in my bedroom, singing and dancing along. Then I was brought to when I was a little older and started to adapt to different music tastes, listening to The Pixies, Evanescence and The Undertones, widening my eclectic music tastes even more. This album gave a sense of nostalgia that I didnt know I needed until I listened and all those memories came flooding back.
The currently unreleased Ep contains 3 carefully curated, anthems that fuse high energy pop-punk sounds with a raw, gritty alt rock style: bringing a blend of infectious pop choruses and driving guitar riffs, merging the sleek, radio-friendly polish of pop-punk with the underground, off-kilter edge of ‘90s alt-rock with an atmospheric, abstract approach.
For this Ep, the 2-piece alt band based in Nottingham have been joined by another vocalist who, in my opinion, really adds new levels of contrast, harmonies and perspective to their music; the female vocals add a level of versatility to their already great music, allowing them to experiment with music styles and complementing the music no matter what genre it adheres to.
My personal Favourite track of the Ep is called "I Want You For Myself". This track is the perfect mix of nostalgic teen-pop music style and 90s grunge, alt-rock music that is truely inspiring. Its drum pattern and guitar riffs have a way of making you instantly want to break out and bang your head along. The lyrics are another thing entirely... they are drawn from personal experience, which makes them feel raw and hit that part of your heart that breaks as you listen along. This Ep will certainly be worth the wait and should be held dear to those who relate to it.
Formal Warning's influences range from Nirvana, Superhaven, Evanescence, to Wunderhorse. aiming to create grungy songs that people can relate to and personally enjoy. they currently have plans to play as many gigs as possible at venues such as Rock City and the Bodega in Nottingham, before hopefully going on to play in festivals such as Download and Beat the Streets; hoping to get their music heard by as many people as possible.
I asked the band what new listeners should expect of their music, Guitarist and vocalist Christian said this: "if you’re looking for a band that writes about personal topics, and you need something to relate to - we’re the band for you. If you like a slightly heavier style of music, and big open songs with a wide mix of genres then 100%, I would recommend us." He also told me that his favourite aspect of writing/producing music is "watching my own and Jack’s faces light up when we record something and it sounds exactly as we’d pictured it."
Their new song "Everytime" is dropping on November 15th!
Words by Holly Surguy
Ruby Tuesday poster designed by Izzy Lacey
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