FIRST SIGNAL – Face Your Fears

The previous effort by First Signal (Closer to the Edge, 2022) was neither particularly impressive nor as cohesive in terms of quality as it could have been, and although this follow-up entitled Face Your Fears is also somewhat uneven and contain a number of filler tracks, it is quite the enjoyable listening experience overall.

The riffs and vocal melodies are catchier this time around, the hooks are better and more infectious, and the production feels punchier and bigger. On top of that, the artwork is much cooler also, which is an added bonus. The line-up has changed too, but the talented Harry Hess (Harem Scarem) is still in charge of the vocals and his voice comes across as powerful and passionate on this eleven-song offering. Again, the problem with every output by First Signal is that they have a tendency to include some mediocre or outright forgettable tunes that kill the momentum and lack any sense of identity, which is also the most frustrating aspect of Face Your Fears, but there are some really tasty and memorable cuts to be found here in the shape of ‘Always be There’, ‘Dominoes’, ‘Not This Time’, and the excellent title track. The positives certainly outweigh the negatives on this brand-new slice of melodic hard rock/AOR and it is arguably the most aggressive-sounding disc by these guys so far.