Farewell to Freeway

It’s becoming harder and harder to make even the most diminutive splash on the metalcore circuit, leading to bands trying just about any gimmick imaginable in a desperate attempt at getting noticed. While the keyboard inclusion, as well as the roughly 50/50 trade-off between clean and screamed vocals, may give the impression of either a half-assed publicity stunt or more screamo, Farewell to Freeway have something going here. For an independently released EP, the potential is noteworthy — solid musicianship and unpredictable song structures build to cathartic climax without often becoming too slapdash or poorly arranged. It’s a bit uneven, and anything this varied will no doubt alienate certain demographics, but these are minute complaints that will no doubt be ironed out with more experience on the touring circuit, and perhaps a bit more time spent in pre-production. This mix is weighty and delivers ample low-end, avoiding the all too frequent trap of allowing the electronics and synths to dominate the mix. Farewell to Freeway are a talented bunch with a long way to go — let’s just hope they stick it out and eventually deliver a more professional final product.