High Parasite – Forever We Burn Album Review
12th November 2024High Parasite released their debut album on September 27, 2024 on Candlelight Records and it’s one I’ve finally got around to giving the full listening treatment to. (Yes, Yes I know – It’s been a while but as I’ve mentioned in my previous reviews there’s just been so many albums released this quarter. I’m getting there, I’m sorry! Please don’t hate me).
So firstly, who exactly is High Parasite? High Parasite hail from Batley, West Yorkshire, England and were formed in 2023. Their vibe? I’d categorize this as Gothic Metal/Rock. It’s to be noted from previous interactions with High Parasite they would categorize themselves as “death pop”. Current members of High Parasite are Aaron Stainthorpe (Lead Vocalist), Tombs (Bass/Vocals), Jonny Hunter (Guitarist), Sam Hill (Guitarist), and Dan Brown (Drums).
“Forever We Burn” is a 10-track debut that showcases the talent these guys have. The album kicks off with “Forever We Burn”, which in my opinion was a great choice for the opening track. It sets a solid pace and tone for the album with a mix of haunting melodic, cascading guitar riffs and a mix of both clean and gruff vocals.
If I was to choose a track on the album that stuck out most for me I’d have to highlight “Let It Fail”, which hit some great check marks for me. Atmospheric build-up? Check. Something to engage you to keep on listening in terms of a suspenseful guitar build-up? Check . Followed by a cheeky bit of a “GRRRRRR” from the vocals (Yes this is a real way of reviewing music, I’m a professional trust me, okay?) . Thoroughly enjoyed this track, possibly most on the album. Congratulations guys, you’ve got me to enjoy something out of my comfort zone.
Other notable tracks throughout would have to be “Wasn’t Human”, “Widowmaker” and “We Break We Die”. I have to say I’m fairly disappointed I didn’t hear DJ Khaled say his name once or Jason Derulo cracking out his signature “Jason Derulo” (Come on guys in the alt scene, why aren’t you saying your names as tags in songs? — I’m taking full credit for this in the future now though, someone make it happen). Also, off the back of that, I never thought I’d be mentioning DJ Khaled or Jason Derulo in a “death pop” album review.Overall the album does give the nostalgic vibes of the late 90’s, 00’s gothic-rock synth-esque vibes. I believe it’s an album that can truly be appreciated for what it brings to the table. I’ll be honest this isn’t my usual cup of tea or an album I’d rush to listen but I did enjoy branching out and giving this a listen. As they say, variety is the spice of life.
My personal rating would be 7/10 however I feel if this was your preferred music genre, it would easily be scoring 9/10 – 10/10. High Parasite has a lot to bring to the music scene and displays immense talent. Definitely a band to look out for in the future.
To check out music from High Parasite, this is available on all main streaming services or alternatively click >> HERE << to listen on Spotify. “Forever We Burn” can be listened to in full >> HERE <<.
Score 7/10
Forever We Burn Tracklisting
1: Forever We Burn
2: My Syndrome
3: Grave Intentions
4: Wasn’t Human
5: Concentric Nightmares
6: Hate Springs Eternal
7: Parasite
8: Let It Fail
9: Widowmaker
10: We Break We Die
Label – Candlelight
Release: 27 September 2024
